4. Procedural Background
PG&E filed this application on February 26, 2009. On March 16, 2009, PG&E filed a declaration of advertising, posting, and mailing to affected governmental bodies and property owners notice of the application, as required by GO 131-D, Section XI.A. No protests were filed.
On August 3, 2010, the Energy Division circulated a Notice of Intent (NOI) to adopt a MND for the project to 704 agencies, tribes, elected officials, organizations, residents, and other interested persons and entities, and released the Draft MND/Initial Study (IS) for a 30-day public review and comment period. The NOI gave notice of a public meeting to be held on August 19, 2010, to take public comment on the project. The public meeting and the availability of the Draft IS/MND were also announced in the local newspaper.
Five people attended the public meeting, and three made comments raising concerns about the heights of the new and replaced structures, disturbance to farmland, impact on an agricultural airstrip and aircraft operations, clean up and restoration, and impact on levels.
Written comments were received from four public agencies, two individuals, and the applicant, raising similar issues and concerns as those raised at the public meeting as well as concerns and requests for further information regarding the location of the Milliken towers to be replaced, permanent disturbance acreages, potential impacts on riparian habitat, public notification and involvement, and EMFs.
Energy Division responded to all of the comments in the Final MND/IS, which it issued on September 21, 2010.2 Although a few revisions were made to clarify and revise certain mitigation measures described in the Draft MND/IS, the Final MND does not identify any new significant environmental impacts, and does not omit any existing mitigation measures, from those identified in the Draft MND/IS.
2 The Final MND/IS is hereby identified as reference Exhibit A and received into the record of this proceeding.
