3.5 AIR QUALITY Existing Setting

Transcription

1 3.5 AIR QUALITY Existing Setting Santa Barbara County enjoys a Mediterranean climate which is characterized by mild temperatures yearround, light winds and moderate humidity. There are few major stationary sources of pollution due to its relatively modest-sized urban areas and minimal industry. However, relative to the County s population, a disproportionate amount of traffic and related pollution is generated by long commutes, a robust tourist industry and long distance train and truck traffic passing through Santa Barbara. The light winds, dominant on-shore air flow and frequent inversion layers trapped by the several mountain ranges that extend into the County from the east increase the occurrence of air pollution from these sources. The County is currently classified by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) as a non attainment area for two pollutants: ozone and particulate matter (PM 10 ). National ambient air quality standards set by the USEPA, highlight six principal pollutants as "criteria" pollutants critical to air quality. They are: Ozone (O-3), Particulate Matter (PM 10 ) Carbon Monoxide (CO), Nitrogen Oxide (NO x ) Sulfur Dioxide (SO-2) and Lead. Particulate Matter (PM 10 ) refers to particles of dust, soot, smoke, etc. found in the air resultant of vehicle emissions, construction, burning of wood, unpaved roads, stone crushing, and agricultural tilling. These particles are responsible for a variety of health related and environmental impacts. Due to their microscopic size and varying makeup, particles become lodged in the lungs and cause myriad breathing disorders from aggravated asthma and allergies to long-term decreased lung functioning and chronic bronchitis. Recently, ambient air quality standards were also adopted for fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ). Ozone, which is protective in the stratosphere, but dangerous when formed at ground-level, occurs when NO x (Nitrogen Oxide) and ROC (reactive organic compounds) interact in the presence of sunlight. Vehicular exhaust, industrial emissions, chemical solvents and other volatile chemicals help to form ozone. A variety of lung-related disorders, including aggravated asthma, wheezing, coughing, painful aspiration, reduced lung capacity and long term lung damage are effects of ozone. In addition, ozone also interferes with plants abilities to make and store food and decreases their susceptibility to insects, disease and harsh weather. After decades of non-attainment, in 2003 Santa Barbara County was designated in attainment of the federal one-hour ozone standard. More recently in 2004, the County was designated in attainment of the federal eight-hour ozone standard. In spite of these improvements, Santa Barbara still does not meet the state standards for ozone or particulate matter. For that reason, it continues to be necessary to minimize ozone levels and particulate matter to ensure continued federal attainment and to attain state ozone standards. 3.5 Environmental Impact Analysis 3.5-1

2 Air Quality Planning The Santa Barbara Air Pollution Control District is responsible for the preparation of Clean Air Plans, which are primarily aimed at the attainment of the federal and state ambient air quality standards. The 2001 Clean Air Plan is the current State Implementation Plan for the County and the 2004 Clean Air Plan is the most recently adopted Plan. Thus, the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District has the primary regulatory responsibility for air quality issues in the County Thresholds of Significance Construction Thresholds Quantitative thresholds of significance are not currently in place for short-term or construction phases of projects; however, Santa Barbara County APCD and the County s Environmental Thresholds and Guidelines Manual recommend that short-term construction related PM 10, NO x and ROC emissions be quantified for large projects on a case-by-case basis. APCD s standard dust control mitigation measures are required for all discretionary projects to prevent public nuisance from fugitive dust since Santa Barbara County currently violates the state PM 10 standard. Similarly, particulate emissions from diesel exhaust are classified as carcinogenic by the State of California. Therefore, strategies to reduce emission of diesel particulates and NO x from any diesel equipment that does not have a Portable Equipment Registration from the State will be required on a case-by-case basis.. The County Board of Supervisors considers emissions of NO x from construction equipment as relatively low when compared to the total NO x emission inventory for the County, and are generally considered insignificant. Operational Thresholds Santa Barbara County has adopted thresholds of significance for the evaluation of air quality impacts resulting from mobile and operational emissions of ozone precursors, NO x and ROC. Santa Barbara County s Environmental Thresholds and Guidelines Manual states that projects are likely to result in a significant impact to air quality if they singularly or cumulatively: emit (from all project sources, both stationary and mobile) more than 25 pounds per day of NO x, or ROC; exceed the APCD health risk public notification thresholds adopted by the APCD Board; are inconsistent with the adopted federal and state air quality standard for Santa Barbara County Project Impacts Construction Related Air Quality Impacts Quantitative thresholds of significance are not currently in place for short-term or construction emissions, however, the APCD uses 25 tons per year for NO x and ROC as a guideline for determining the 3.5 Environmental Impact Analysis 3.5-2

3 significance of construction impacts. Each potential project will be subject to a discretionary review and permitting process that will address environmental concerns. Particulate emissions from diesel exhaust are classified as carcinogenic by the state of California., Projects that have the potential to affect sensitive receptors, or very large projects, must implement PM and NO x reduction measures. Implementation of APCD standard dust control measures and standard particulate emissions from diesel exhaust measures are assumed to mitigate short-term dust and PM 10 impacts to adverse, but less than significant levels. Operational Air Quality Impacts and Consistency with the Clean Air Plan This section discusses cumulative impacts and consistency with the policies and measures in the 2004 Clean Air Plan (CAP), i.e. whether the project exceeds the growth assumptions in the air quality plan. The 2004 CAP, a comprehensive planning document adopted by the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District (SBCAPCD), is intended to provide guidance to the Air Pollution Control District, the County, the cities and other local agencies as to the progress toward the attainment of federal and state ozone standards. Consistency with the CAP means that direct and indirect emissions associated with the project are accounted for in the CAP s emissions growth assumptions and the project is consistent with policies adopted in the CAP. According to APCD 1, the following expanded uses proposed in the Uniform Rules amendments have been accounted for in growth projections contained in the 2004 CAP; and therefore are consistent with the CAP: Winery expansion; Agricultural non-grape preparation facilities (including Agricultural Industry Overlay); 2 Residential development in rural areas consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. Small-scale guest ranches and commercial composting facilities, on the other hand, may be consistent only if they are consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. Such uses are conditionally permitted in rural agricultural zones, and therefore must be found to be consistent with the Comprehensive Plan prior to project approval. While these uses were not directly accounted for in the CAP growth projections, provisions of the CAP would be implemented and enforced through Planning and Developments discretionary review and permitting process. For these reasons, small-scale guest ranches and commercial composting facilities are not expected to have significant adverse impacts on air quality. 1 Personal Communication, Vijaya Jammalamadaka, APCD. 2 CAP generated scenarios account for agricultural preparation and processing facility expansion using commercial employment growth figures as a baseline. 3.5 Environmental Impact Analysis 3.5-3

4 Regional Emissions from Traffic associated with Agricultural and Winery Industries The Uniform Rules update will increase allowable development envelopes for preparation facilities and wineries on larger parcels of contracted land (600 acres or greater) such that for every 100 acres above 500 acres, the premises may add one additional acre to the development envelope up to a maximum of a 20 acres. While development envelopes represent the entire area potentially allowed for development, acreage devoted to the type of facilities within the envelope may differ based on the project. Certain projects will require more space for parking, landscaping and non-emission generating uses. Using the information provided in Table Estimated Average Daily Trips (ADTs) for Specific Proposed Rules by Rural Regions (see Section 3.4 Transportation/ Circulation) vehicular emissions associated with potential projects have been calculated on a regional basis using URBEMIS 2002 version As the vehicular emissions associated with projects proposed under the amended Uniform Rules are comparable to the vehicular emissions associated with General Light Industry and Manufacturing uses categorized in URBEMIS, these project types have been applied in the analysis. Table 3.5-1, on the following page, summarizes operational vehicular emissions associated with total potential project build-out resulting from the amended Uniform Rules. The Santa Ynez Valley region is the only region which will potentially exceed the 25 lbs/day ROC or NO x threshold. Countywide, however, potential cumulative impacts greatly exceed the 25 lbs/day ROC or NO x threshold. For those regions likely to attract a large-scale winery, there may also be a beneficial impact to air quality. The current 2.85 million case deficit for wine production from grapes grown on contracted land implies that a large portion of the grapes grown in the county are being trucked to either urban areas or outside of the county for processing. Allowances in Rule 2-2 for larger scale wineries relative to vineyard production will increase processing of wine grapes locally thereby reducing the truck trips transporting the grapes to wineries elsewhere resulting in reduced emissions. However, since the reasons for hauling grapes may be the result of business decisions as well as lack of local processing capacity, the magnitude of this benefit is unknown. 3 Data generated by URBEMIS is attached as Appendix Environmental Impact Analysis 3.5-4

5 Table Operational (Vehicular) Emissions Associated with Potential Projects under the Amended Uniform Rules 1 Rural Region Total Trips Total Emissions lbs/day ROC Total Emissions lbs/day of NO x Total Combined Emissions lbs/day South Coast Gaviota Santa Ynez Valley 1, Lompoc Valley San Antonio Creek Santa Maria Valley 3, , , Cuyama Cumulative Totals 11, Includes ADTs for additional residential units, small-scale guest ranches, large-scale wineries, small-scale processing facilities, AIO and commercial composting facilities. Fermentation Process Emissions In addition to NO x or ROC emissions associated with increased vehicles trips, winery fermentation processes have the potential to generate significant levels of ROC depending upon grape varietals and fermentation process. Emissions from the fermentation and aging processes commence when grapes are harvested and continue until the wine is bottled. The ROC emission estimates for the different size wineries identified in the buildout scenario in Sec. 2.4 are provided in Table below, and are based on three different case processing scenarios: 1) 100% white wine; 2) 40% white wine, 60% red wine; and 3) 100% red wine. Emission rates may vary depending upon individual methods of picking, aging and fermentation. Although white wine ferments for a longer period of time, red wine produces greater emissions of ROC since white wines are more commonly aged in stainless steel tanks which produce negligible emissions (source: Air Resources Board). Calculations for winery emissions (Table 3.5-2) are based on the following reasonable worst case scenario: a case production of 40,000 cases per acre of facility red wine fermentation of 20,000 cases/1,000 X 2.38 gallons per case X 4.6 lbs. of ethanol per 1,000 gallons/14 fermentation days per year = lbs/day of ROC red wine aging of 24,000 cases X 2.38 gallons per case X 0.13 (amount of ethanol per gallon) X (amount that evaporates from wood cooperage) X 8.38 lbs. per gallon (density of ethanol) /365 = 4.26 lbs. per day. 3.5 Environmental Impact Analysis 3.5-5

6 white wine fermentation of 16,000 cases/1000 X 2.38 gallons per case X 1.8 lbs. of ethanol per 1,000 gallons / 30 fermentation days per year = 2.28 lbs/day of ROC 4. white wine emissions = negligible (California Air Resources Board) Table Large-Scale Wineries Estimated Fermentation-Related ROC Emissions Case Production Scenarios 100% White Wine Estimated Case Production (Envelope Size) 80,000 (7 total acres) 400,000 (10 acres) 520,000 (13 acres) 800,000 (20 acres) lbs\day ROC lbs\day ROC lbs\day ROC lbs\day ROC 40% White / 60% Red lbs\day ROC lbs\day ROC lbs\day ROC lbs\day ROC 100% Red Wine lbs\day ROC lbs\day ROC lbs\day ROC lbs\day ROC Total Case Production 1.9 million cases Unmet Capacity on contracted land (cases) million cases Potential Case Production-contracted land million cases 7 Based on Table Summary of Assumptions made for Winery Development under the Amended Uniform Rules in Section (page 3-5). Large-Scale Wineries Over the past 5 years, Santa Barbara County has cultivated a variety of white and red wine grapes ranging from Chardonnay (the top white variety in 2000), Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris/Grigio to Pinot Noir (top red in 2000), Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot and Sangiovese. 6 Recently, however, acreage devoted to Chardonnay has fallen giving rise to greater cultivation, mostly of reds, like Syrah, Sangiovese and some white, such as Pinot Gris/Grigio 7. While the exact mix of varietals being processed is unknown, Table demonstrates that the best-case scenario (i.e. wineries producing only white wines which have the lowest emissions) does not exceed the threshold. This is, however, not considered to be a realistic scenario in that it is unlikely a winery will specialize in white wine. Consequently, largescale wineries have the potential to exceed the 25 lbs/day ROC threshold due to the red wine fermentation and aging processes. Moreover, apart from operational impacts, NO x and ROC emissions will be sustained as a result of associated vehicle trips. Wineries that have the potential to emit 1 ton or more per year will be subject to APCD permits. In conclusion, the cumulative impacts resulting from operational impacts and vehicular emission have the potential to exceed the 25 lbs/day NO x and ROC threshold resulting in a potentially significant impact to air quality. 4 Final Negative Declaration-Winery Permit Process-Article III Ordinance Amendment, 04NGD See Table Economic Impact of Santa Barbara County Wine and Wine Grape Industries, MFK Research Report, 2001, Motto Kryla & Fisher LLP Santa Barbara County Grape Acreage Survey, Viticulture and Enology Program, Alan Hancock College 3.5 Environmental Impact Analysis 3.5-6

7 Commercial Composting Facilities According to the EPA, composting involves the aerobic biological decomposition of organic materials to produce a stable humus-like product. 8 Commercial composting facilities are primarily utilized for composting feedstock which is defined by the U.S. Department of Energy as biomass available for energy on a sustainable basis includes herbaceous and woody energy crops, agricultural food and feed crops, agricultural crop wastes and residues, wood wastes and residues, aquatic plants, and other waste materials including some municipal wastes. 9 Emissions from facilities vary widely based on feedstock composition, temperature, ph, moisture, aeration and pile geometry 10. In Santa Barbara County, however, the composition of feedstock or greenwaste 11 is primarily yard wastes, such as leaves, grasses, brush, twigs, etc. Future commercial composting operations may seek to compost food and other agricultural waste products, otherwise known as co-composting facilities 12. Co-composting facilities not only provide for efficient waste disposal, but also produces a richer composted product beneficial for other consumer uses. Regulating Compost Emissions Emissions from co-composting and commercial composting facilities vary based on size and compost constitution. The active and curing phases of the composting process utilized 13 for co-composting facilities results in methane (CH-4), carbon dioxide (CO-2), hydrogen sulfide (H-2-S) and NO x emissions 14, while greenwaste composting results in ROC and ammonia emissions (in addition to odors). Currently, Santa Barbara County APCD does not have specific thresholds for regulating compost facility emissions. Commercial composting and co-composting facilities could release ROCs and other emissions such as ammonia, methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2), and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) which would be subject to County and APCD odor abatement plan requirements. It is reasonable to assume that the size of potential commercial composting facilities (estimated to occupy 30 acres of the 35 acre development envelope) allowed under the amended Uniform Rules will likely generate emissions resulting in potentially significant odor and nuisance impacts. Summary of Project Impacts Impact AQ-1: Increased emissions of ozone precursors. Large-scale non-grape preparation and Agricultural Industry Overlay (AIO) facilities are assumed to generate vehicle trips which may exceed project-specific thresholds of significance (County Santa Barbara, Environmental Thresholds and Guidelines Manual). Potential commercial composting facilities allowed under the amended Uniform 8 Decision Maker s Guide to Solid Waste Management, Volume 11, (EPA 530-R ) ibid ibid Environmental Impact Analysis 3.5-7

8 Rules will likely generate odors. The potential development of large-scale wineries, non-grape preparation and commercial composting facilities may have the potential to cause significant long-term air quality impacts. (Addresses Uniform Rules: 2-2 Agricultural Support Facilities, 2-6 Agricultural Industry Overlay and 2-7 Waste Disposal and Commercial Composting Facilities.) Impact AQ-2: Short-term dust and PM 10 generation. Construction and site preparation activities involving heavy equipment associated with development provisions under the amended Uniform Rules would generate potentially significant fugitive dust and diesel exhaust emissions. (Addresses Uniform Rules: Principal Dwelling, 2-2 Agricultural Support Facilities, 2-4 Small-Scale Guest Ranches, 2-6 Agricultural Industry Overlay, 2-7 Waste Disposal and Commercial Composting Facilities) Mitigation Measures Existing Policies and Development Standards that May Reduce Impacts Included in Section 4, Consistency with Locally Adopted Plans and Policies is a discussion of the existing policies in the County s Comprehensive Plan which address air quality issues. Policies within the Land Use, Circulation and Environmental Resource Management Elements of the Comprehensive Plan and the Coastal Plan do not specifically speak to development within rural or agricultural areas. Implementation of APCD Standard dust control measures is assumed to mitigate short-term dust and PM 10 impacts. Proposed Mitigation Measures Mitigation AQ-2: Refer to Mitigation AG-2. (Addresses Impacts AQ-1 and 2). Mitigation AQ-3: Refer to Mitigation AG-3. (Addresses Impacts AQ-1 and 2) Residual Impacts Impact AQ1: Mitigation measures AQ-2 and AQ-3 would limit the potential size of large-scale wineries, non-grape preparation and processing and commercial composting facilities, but would not set a limit on the size of AIO facilities which will likely range in size from 15 to 30 acres. Even with reduced envelope sizes for non-grape preparation and processing facilities, project specific emissions resulting from stationary, operational, mobile sources or a combination thereof, may remain significant and unavoidable (Class I). Impact AQ-2: With the application of APCD Standard dust control measures, impacts associated with construction and site preparation activities involving heavy equipment and the generation of fugitive dust emissions (short-term impacts) would be significant, but mitigable (Class II). 3.5 Environmental Impact Analysis 3.5-8