California Environmental Quality Act

Under CEQA, the Commission is the lead agency for this project. Accordingly, the Commission is responsible for preparing an appropriate environmental document, such as an environmental impact report or negative declaration, for the project. (CEQA Guideline 15050(a).) The Commission has prepared a mitigated negative declaration (previously referred to as the Final MND).

Before granting approval of this project, the Commission must consider the Final MND. (CEQA Guideline 15004(a).) The Commission has done so. We find that the Final MND was prepared in compliance with CEQA, and we adopt it in its entirety, and incorporate it by reference in this decision approving the project.

The Final MND finds that approval of the project will have no impact, or less-than-significant impact, in the areas of Agricultural Resources; Air Quality; Geology, Soils, and Seismicity; Hydrology and Water Quality; Land Use, Plans, and Policies; Mineral Resources; Population and Housing; Recreation; Transportation; and Utilities and Services. The Final MND finds that approval of the project would have potentially significant impacts in the areas of Aesthetics; Biological Resources; Cultural Resources; Health and Hazardous Materials; Noise; and Public Services; Recreation. However, the Final MND also identifies mitigation measures to avoid the impact or to reduce it to a less-than-significant level. Full descriptions of the proposed mitigation measures and the monitoring and reporting requirements are included in Chapter 3 of the Final MND. PacifiCorp has agreed to the mitigation measures contained in the Final MND.