SMUD Multi-family EV Charging Community

2024090777

California Energy Commission

NOE - Notice of Exemption

9/19/2024

9/19/2024

Sara Sanders

California Energy Commission

Associate Energy Specialist

Lead/Public Agency

715 P St
Sacramento, CA 95814

(916) 776-3028

sara.sanders@energy.ca.gov

Within a quarter mile of multi-family housing units in Sacramento County

Categorical Exemption

Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, §15301, §15303, and §15304

Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, Section 15301 Existing Facilities provides that the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment or topographical features which involve negligible or no expansion of use beyond that existing at the time of the responsible agency's determination, are categorically exempt from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act. This project involves installation of at least 300 Level 2 charging ports and at least 200 Level 1 charging ports within a quarter mile of multi-family housing properties throughout the Sacramento region. This project involves negligible or no expansion of existing or former use of the sites. In addition, the electric vehicle charging stations will be installed at existing, paved parking lots. Therefore, this project is exempt under California Code of Regulations, title 14, section 15301 and will not have a significant effect on the environment. Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, sec. 15303 provides that projects which consist of construction and location of limited numbers of new, small facilities or structures; installation of small new equipment and facilities in small structures; and the conversion of existing small structures from one use to another where only minor modifications are made in the exterior of the structure, are categorically exempt from the provisions of CEQA. This project consists of installing at least 500 units of new, small equipment to existing, paved parking lots near multiple multi-family housing properties throughout the Sacramento region. The charging equipment to be installed is small and has a footprint of no more than approximately 18 square inches. Therefore, the project falls within section 15303 and will not have a significant effect on the environment. Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, sect. 15304 provides that projects which consist of minor public or private alterations in the condition of land, water, and/or vegetation which do not involve removal of healthy, mature, scenic trees except for forestry and agricultural purposes are categorically exempt from the provisions of CEQA. This project involves installation of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at existing, paved parking lots and the work will not involve the removal of any trees. In this project, minor trenching may be necessary as one of various avenues to source and distribute power to the charging installations. Specifically, trenching of approximately 12 inches wide and 24 inches deep may need to be dug in a currently asphalt-covered area, with no removal of trees. Therefore, this project is exempt under California Code of Regulations, title 14, section 15304. The project will not impact an environmental resource of hazardous or critical concern where designated, precisely mapped, and officially adopted pursuant to law by federal, state, or local agencies; does not involve any cumulative impacts of successive projects of the same type in the same place that might be considered significant; does not involve unusual circumstances that might have a significant effect on the environment; will not result in damage to scenic resources within a highway officially designated as a state scenic highway; the project site is not included on any list compiled pursuant to Government Code section 65962.5; and the project will not cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource. Therefore, none of the exceptions to categorical exemptions listed in CEQA Guidelines section 15300.2 apply to this project, and this project will not have a significant effect on the environment. For these reasons, the proposed work will not have any significant effect on the environment and falls under section 15301, 15303, and 15304.