California Environmental Quality Act

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

Before granting approval of this project, the Commission must consider the Final EIR. (CEQA Guideline 15004(a).) The Commission has done so. We find that the Final EIR 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 EIR finds that approval of the project will have no impact, or less-than-significant impact, in the areas of Population and Housing, and Visual.

The Final EIR finds that approval of the project would have potentially significant impacts in the areas of Air Quality; Biological Resources; Cultural Resources; Geology, Soils and Paleontology; Hydrology and Water Quality; Land Use, Agriculture and Recreation; Noise and Vibration; Public Health & Safety; Public Services and Utilities; and Transportation and Traffic. However, the Final EIR also finds that each of the identified impacts can be mitigated to avoid the impact or reduce it to a less than significant level, and SDG&E has agreed to the applicable mitigation measures. Full descriptions of the Mitigation Monitoring, Compliance and Reporting Program are set forth in Sections D and G of the Final EIR, and a complete but condensed presentation of the environmental impacts and mitigation measures of the project is contained in Table ES-2 of the Final EIR.

There are no significant impacts that cannot be mitigated to a less than significant level, and in some areas the project provides environmental benefits.