Electric Vehicle Direct-Current Hub (EVDCH)
Summary
SCH Number
2024120492
Public Agency
California Energy Commission
Document Title
Electric Vehicle Direct-Current Hub (EVDCH)
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
12/12/2024
Document Description
This project will implement an efficient charging station architecture to reduce the amount of energy loss during the power conversion process from direct current to alternating current power. This project will develop technology that will complement load flexibility by reducing the overall strain on grid infrastructure. The developed technology will then be demonstrated at a charging station serving medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. This project is part of California’s push towards greater electric vehicle adoption to curb greenhouse gas emissions, with the expected result of this project demonstrating a technology that can reduce the extensive and costly electrical upgrades necessary to accommodate the additional load of electrical vehicle charging and other connected clean resources on the power grid.
Contact Information
Name
Katelynn Dinius
Agency Name
California Energy Commission
Job Title
Air Resources Engineer
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Address
Phone
Location
Coordinates
Cities
Wilmington
Counties
Los Angeles
Regions
Citywide
Cross Streets
1st St. and W Rd.
Zip
90744
State Highways
CA 1, CA 103
Other Location Info
2401 E. Pacific Coast Highway
Wilmington, CA 90744
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, § 15301 ; Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, § 15303
Reasons for Exemption
Cal. Code Regs., tit 14, sec. 15301 provides that projects that consist of the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of existing or former use, are categorically exempt from CEQA. The location where this demonstration project will take place is at an existing facility, which has already been graded, disturbed, paved, and has structures constructed. Installation and deployment of the electric vehicle charging infrastructure will require limited alteration activities such as minor trenching for electrical conduit, delivery and placement of electric vehicle charging and power conversion equipment, electrical wiring within the facility, and minor paving and concrete activities to restore the disturbed surfaces. The project activities involve negligible or no expansion of existing or former use and will not have a significant effect on the environment and thus fits within section 15301.
Cal. Code Regs., tit 14, sec. 15303 provides that projects that consist of construction and location of limited number of new, small facilities or structures, and installation of small new equipment and facilities in small structures, are categorically exempt from CEQA. This demonstration project includes the installation and construction of power conversion equipment (i.e., solid state transformer and power distribution cabinet) and four high-power charging dispensers at existing paved sites. This project will entail the construction of a limited number of small accessory structures to house the power conversion equipment and support the charging dispensers. The project activities involve installation of small new equipment and thus fits within section 15303.
The demonstration 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.
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
Disclaimer: The Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI) accepts no responsibility for the content or accessibility of these documents. To obtain an attachment in a different format, please contact the lead agency at the contact information listed above. For more information, please visit LCI’s Accessibility Site.