vestal almond solar generation facilities project

201 Pages·2011·12.2 MB·English

TULARE COUNTY RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
AGENCY
5961 SOUTH MOONEY BLVD
VISALIA, CA 93277

VESTAL ALMOND SOLAR
GENERATION FACILITIES
PROJECT
Initial Study &
Mitigated Negative Declaration

July 2011

Prepared by:

1982 0906 ENV
PSP 10- 015
VESTAL ALMOND SOLAR GENERATION FACILITIES PROJECT
Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 INTRODUCTION 1-1
Document Format 1-1
2 PROJECT DESCRIPTION 2-1
Project Location 2-1
Project Background and Objectives 2-1
Environmental Setting 2-1
Project Description 2-8
Regulatory Context 2-13
3 INITIAL STUDY CHECKLIST 3-1
4 REFERENCES 4-1
5 LIST OF PREPARERS 5-1
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1 – Regional Setting 2-3
Figure 2 – Project Vicinity 2-4
Figure 3 – Hardaway Ownership Map 2-5
Figure 4 –Farmland Designation 2-6
Figure 5 – Zoning 2-7
Figure 6 – Site Plan 2-12
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1 – California Revised Storie Index – Tulare County, 3-9
Western Part, California
Table 2 – Proposed Project Construction and 3-13
Operation Emissions
Table 3 – San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control 3-14
District Regulation VIII Control Measures for Construction Emissions of
PM
10
Table 4– Typical Construction Noise Levels 3-41
Table 5– Typical Construction Vibration Levels 3-42
APPENDICES
A – NRCS Custom Soils Report
B – URBEMIS Output Files
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Table of Contents

C – Biological Reconnaissance Analysis
D – Cultural Resources Records Search
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CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION
VESTAL ALMOND SOLAR GENERATION FACILITY PROJECT
Introduction

1 INTRODUCTION
The Tulare County Resources Management Agency (County) has prepared this Initial Study/Mitigated
Negative Declaration (IS/MND) to address the environmental effects of the construction and operation
of the proposed Vestal Almond Solar Generation Facilities (Project). This document has been prepared
in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), Public Resources Code §21000
et.seq. The Tulare County Resources Management Agency is the CEQA lead agency for this Project.
SR Solis Vestal Almond, LLC (Applicant) is proposing the construction and operation of a 20 megawatt
(MW)1 photovoltaic (PV) solar electricity generating facility on approximately 141 acres of land located
west of Highway 65 in southern Tulare County, California (Figure 1). In addition to the installation of the
PV solar modules, the proposed Project would also include the construction of equipment and inverter
stations, a substation, a switchyard, a transmission line, a portable maintenance trailer and portable
restroom facility. The proposed Project is described in detail in Chapter 2, Project Description.
The Applicant will mitigate any potentially significant impacts identified in the initial study to a less than
significant level. The proposed mitigation measures are summarized in the attached Mitigation
Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP).
DOCUMENT FORMAT
This IS/MND contains five chapters, and four technical appendices. Section 1, Introduction, provides an
overview of the project and the CEQA environmental documentation process. Chapter 2, Project
Description, provides a detailed description of project objectives and components. Chapter 3, Initial
Study Checklist, presents the CEQA checklist and environmental analysis for all impact areas, mandatory
findings of significance, and feasible mitigation measures. If the proposed project does not have the
potential to significantly impact a given issue area, the relevant section provides a brief discussion of the
reasons why no impacts are expected. If the project could have a potentially significant impact on a
resource, the issue area discussion provides a description of potential impacts, and appropriate
mitigation measures and/or permit requirements that would reduce those impacts to a less than
significant level. Chapter 4, References, provides a list of reference materials used during the
preparation of the IS/MND, and Chapter 5, List of Preparers, provides a list of key personnel involved in
the preparation of the IS/MND.
The USDA Soils Report, URBEMIS Output Files, Biological Reconnaissance Survey and Cultural Resources
Records Search are provided as appendices at the end of this document.
Environmental impacts are separated into the following categories:
Potentially Significant Impact. This category is applicable if there is substantial evidence that an effect
may be significant, and no feasible mitigation measures can be identified to reduce impacts to a less
than significant level. If there are one or more “Potentially Significant Impact” entries when the
determination is made, an EIR is required.

1 MW alternating current (AC) pursuant to the terms of the Interconnection Agreement between the Applicant and Southern
California Edison
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VESTAL ALMOND SOLAR GENERATION FACILITY PROJECT
Introduction

Less Than Significant After Mitigation Incorporated. This category applies where the incorporation of
mitigation measures would reduce an effect from a “Potentially Significant Impact” to a “Less Than
Significant Impact.” The lead agency must describe the mitigation measure(s), and briefly explain how
they would reduce the effect to a less than significant level (mitigation measures from earlier analyses
may be cross-referenced).
Less Than Significant Impact. This category is identified when the project would result in impacts below
the threshold of significance, and no mitigation measures are required.
No Impact. This category applies when a project would not create an impact in the specific
environmental issue area. “No Impact” answers do not require a detailed explanation if they are
adequately supported by the information sources cited by the lead agency, which show that the impact
does not apply to the specific project (e.g., the project falls outside a fault rupture zone). A “No Impact”
answer should be explained where it is based on project-specific factors as well as general standards
(e.g., the project will not expose sensitive receptors to pollutants, based on a project-specific screening
analysis.)

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CHAPTER TWO

PROJECT DESCRIPTION
VESTAL ALMOND SOLAR GENERATION FACILITY PROJECT
Project Description

2 PROJECT DESCRIPTION
PROJECT LOCATION
The Vestal Almond Solar Generation Facility (Vestal Almond or Project) (PSP 10-015) is located in an
unincorporated area of southern Tulare County, California. The Vestal Almond Project site is located
approximately four miles south of Ducor, west of Highway 65 and is bound by a Southern Pacific
Railroad rail line and Richgrove Drive (County Route J35) on the south (Figure 1). The site can be found
within the Richgrove United States Geological Survey (USGS) 7.5 minute quadrangle. The Project is
located in the Public Land Survey System west half of Section 9, of Township 24 South, Range 27 East, M.
D. B & M.
Latitude: N 35° 51’ 19”
Longitude: W 119° 04’ 01”
The Project is located on approximately 141 acres of the 203-acre Assessor Parcel Number (APN) 339-
050-001; owned by Donald R. and Mattie A. Hardaway. The Project’s proposed transmission line
facilities would be located within a 50 foot easement on the western edge of APN 339-080-26; owned by
Robert R. and Linda Zimmerman Trust and James H. Zimmerman, and the Project’s proposed switchyard
facility would be located on the northwest corner of APN 339-080-16; also owned by Donald R. and
Mattie A. Hardaway (Figure 2). The Project site is in the Rural Valley Lands Plan according to the Tulare
County General Plan.
PROJECT BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
The Project is intended to provide emission-free, solar powered renewable energy to the California Grid
to assist with meeting, local energy demands, State Renewable Portfolio Standard, and Assembly Bill
(AB) 32 mandates. The Project would provide approximately 20 MW of renewable energy while
providing jobs and economic stimulus to an area presently experiencing 18% unemployment (EDD,
2011).
The Project would utilize photovoltaic (PV) silicon flat plate solar modules typically found throughout the
Central Valley on residential and commercial roof tops and in large scale installations such as the ground
mounted solar array at VF storage facility in Visalia, CA. The proposed Project would be ground
mounted on piers and stanchions.
ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING
The Project site is located approximately 52 miles east of the Coast Range and approximately two (2)
miles west of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. Topographically, the Project site is approximately 500
to 525 feet above mean sea level (Figure 2) and has historically been used for dry land farming. The
Project site is mapped by the Department of Conservation, Farmland Mapping and Monitoring Program
(FMMP) as “Farmland of Local Importance”. Land immediately adjacent to the Project is also designated
as “Farmland of Local Importance” while land further to the west is irrigated crop land and designated
as “Prime Farmland” and/or “Farmland of Statewide Importance” (Figure 4).
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VESTAL ALMOND SOLAR GENERATION FACILITY PROJECT
Project Description

The Project site is bound on the south by a Southern Pacific Railroad line and Richgrove Drive (County
Route J35).
The nearest water bodies to the Project site include the White River (0.1 miles), Deer Creek (7.8 miles),
and the Tule River (12.5 miles) to the north; Lake Woollomes (reservoir) located 8.8 miles to the
southwest, and a riverine wetland located 0.07 miles to the northwest. Several wetlands are located
approximately 16 miles to the west in the Pixley National Wildlife Refuge. The Project lies within the
San Joaquin Valley Air Basin and air quality is regulated by the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control
District.
The land uses surrounding the Project site include dry-land rural uses and scattered rural residences. At
the northwest corner of the site, along Route J35, there is a Southern Pacific Railroad alignment. To the
north, at the northeast corner of the site, is a rural residence. There is a rural residence including a barn
and out structures located within the 313-acre Project parcels owned by the Zimmermans, but located
outside of the lease area (Figure 6). The site would be accessed from Avenue 32.
The Project site and surrounding lands are zoned Exclusive Agriculture, 40-acre Minimum (AE-40) (Figure
5). The Tulare County General Plan, Rural Valley Lands Plan also designates the Project site and
surrounding land for Agricultural Use.
Historical Background
The Project site is located on land owned by the Hardaway Family. The Hardaway family came to
southeast Tulare County in the 1880’s along with the railroad and have been raising livestock and dry
farming since that time. The Hardaway family owns approximately 517 acres of land in Tulare County.
The Project site would be located on approximately 141 acres, or 27% of the Hardaway’s existing land
holdings in the area. This site has historically been dry farmed and is currently being farmed for hay and
oats. The land has never been irrigated due to the absence of surface water and the cost of developing
a well. The Project site is, and has been under a Williamson Act contract since December 8, 1981
(Williamson Act Contract #12466/Agricultural Preserve #3825). The majority of surrounding farmlands
are also under contract (Figure 4).
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Project Description

Figure 1 – Regional Setting
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