New Idria Road Bridge over Larious Creek

2025030093

San Benito County

NOE - Notice of Exemption

3/4/2025

3/4/2025

Steve Loupe

County of San Benito

Public Works Administrator

Lead/Public Agency

2301 Technology Parkway
Hollister, CA 95023

(831) 207-8347

sloupe@sanbenitocountyca.gov

New Idria Road Bridge over Larious Creek

95043

54

142-010-013

N/A

N/A

N/A

Larious Creek

17

Categorical Exemption

Class 2 Section 15302; Section 15300.2

Class 2 / 15302 -Class 2 consists of replacement or reconstruction of existing structures and facilities where the new structure will be located on the same site as the structure replaced and will have substantially the same purpose and capacity as the structure replaced. -This project is exempt from CEQA because the bridge replacement will be located on the same site and will have the same purpose and capacity. The project would not result in a significant cumulative effect on environmental, historical, or scenic resources.

Other

23 CFR 771.117(a); 771.117(d)(3)

23 CFR 771.117(a); 771.117(d)(3) -(a) Categorical exclusions (CEs) are actions which do not individually or cumulatively have a significant effect on the human environment, and which have been found to have no such effect in procedures adopted by a federal agency in implementation of these regulations, and, based on past experience with similar actions, do not involve significant environmental impacts. -(d) Additional actions which meet the criteria for a CE in the CEQ regulations (40 CFR 1508.4) and paragraph (a) of this section may be designated as CEs only after Administration approval. Examples of such actions include but are not limited to: (3) Bridge rehabilitation, reconstruction or replacement or the construction of grade separation to replace existing at-grade railroad crossings. -This bridge replacement project is exempt from CEQA because it involves actions which: do not induce significant impacts to planned growth or land use for the area, do not require the relocation of significant numbers of people; do not have a significant impact on any natural, cultural, recreational, historic or other resource; do not involve significant air, noise, or water quality impacts; do not have significant impacts on travel patterns; and do not otherwise, either individually or cumulatively, have any significant environmental impacts. Section 15300.2 Exceptions Section 15300.2 of the CEQA Guidelines, Exceptions, provides conditions under which categorical exemptions are inapplicable. Review of this Project indicates that it would not violate any of the exceptions, as described below: 1. The Project will occur in certain specified sensitive environments or locations; This Project replaces an existing bridge and is not considered a sensitive environment or location. The surrounding uses are zoned as AR, Agricultural Rangeland. The new bridge will be located over the Larious Creek, which is a seasonal stream. Based on the nature of the site, field visits, and a desktop due diligence review, a 401 certification, 404 permit, and LSA agreement will be required before construction begins. Based on biological surveys conducted at the Project Site, Biological Resource Protection Measures will be put in place during and following project construction; See Appendix B. Blunt-nosed Leopard Lizards were not detected during field surveys over 17 days; See Appendix C. 2. Cumulative impacts will be considerable because successive projects of the same type will occur at the same place over time; The Project will not be expected to result in significant cumulative environmental impacts. Because a bridge is already in place, it is anticipated that smaller projects such as routine maintenance activities and upgrades will occur on the bridge in the future. 3. There is a reasonable possibility that the activity will have a significant effect on the environment due to unusual circumstances; There are no known unusual circumstances that will have a significant effect on the environment. The removal of trees is not anticipated as part of the proposed scope of work. If vegetation removal is scheduled to occur between February 1 and August 31, a nesting bird survey would be performed prior to removal activities. Compliance with County specifications will ensure there is not a reasonable possibility that the Project will have a significant effect on the environment due to unforeseen circumstances. 4. The Project may result in damage to scenic resources, including but not limited to trees, historic buildings, rock outcroppings, or similar resources within a highway officially designated as a scenic highway; There are no scenic or similar resources within or near the Project area. 5. The Project is located on a site which is included on any list compiled pursuant to Section 65962.5 of the Government Code; The Project Site does not contain any Open Sites as listed on the State Water Resources Control Board’s GeoTracker website and was not listed on the Department of Toxic Substances Control Board’s Envirostor website. Therefore, the Project will have no impacts related to being located on a hazardous waste site. 6. The Project may cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource. Nothing in the Project Area and a half-mile radius is listed on the California Register of Historical Resources, or the California Built Environment Resource Directory (BERD), or the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The Sacred Lands File (SLF) search conducted by the Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC) were negative for Tribal cultural resources. The crossing is recommended as ineligible for inclusion on the NRHP. The project is not anticipated to cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource as defined in 36 CFR 800.5(a)(1). See Appendix D.