D. Environmental Review

Under CEQA, this Commission is considered the lead agency for the Grant Hill Substation project. As noted above, SDG&E included a PEA as an exhibit to its application, as required by Rule 17.1 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure. In its PEA, SDG&E concluded that the project (then known as the Uptown Substation Project) would have no significant unmitigatable impact upon the environment. As noted in the Procedural Summary, the Commission's staff concluded that the PEA was incomplete, and asked for additional data on April 30, 2004.

On September 27, 2004, after the requested data had been provided, the Commission released the Draft IS/MND for public review and comment, in compliance with CEQA and Rule 17.1. The Draft IS/MND was filed with the State Clearinghouse on September 24, 2004, and the 30-day review and comment period closed on October 27, 2004. Comments on the Draft IS/MND were received from the following parties:

1. San Diego County Regional Airport Authority;

2. San Diego County Archaeological Society, Inc.;

3. SDG&E;

4. California Department of Transportation;

5. Environmental Health Coalition; and

6. California Department of Toxic Substances Control.

Based on these comments, Commission staff prepared a Final IS/MND, which was issued on December 23, 2004. The Final IS/MND concludes that the Grant Hill Substation Project will not have a significant adverse effect on the environment, because mitigation measures incorporated by SDG&E into the project, when combined with additional mitigation measures suggested by staff to which SDG&E has agreed, will ensure that any potentially significant effects that have been identified with the project will remain at less-than-significant levels.

As part of this decision, the Draft IS/MND and the Final IS/MND will be received into the record. The latter is available for inspection on the Commission's website, www.cpuc.ca.gov, by clicking on "Regulated Areas," "Environment," and then "Current Projects."