3. Environmental Compliance

The County of Sacramento has acted as the "lead agency" under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), Pub. Res. Code § 21000, et seq., for the environmental review of the proposed pipeline project. The County prepared a draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR), and the Commission staff was consulted and provided review comments on behalf of the Commission. The Commission is a responsible agency in reviewing the project (CEQA Guidelines at 14 C.C.R. § 15096).

The Sacramento County Department of Environmental Review and Assessment (DERA) acted as chief consultant to the Sacramento County Department of Airports as lead agency for the purpose of preparing the appropriate environmental document, pursuant to the requirements of CEQA.

A Notice of Preparation (NOP) was issued to interested parties and potentially affected agencies and organizations on November 2, 2000. A Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) was prepared and distributed for comment to interested parties and potentially affected agencies and organizations on March 23, 2001. A Public Notice for the DEIR was published in the Sacramento Bee on March 23, 2001, and the review period for the DEIR ended on May 7, 2001. Comments received on the DEIR prompted minor changes to the text of the DEIR without changing the conclusions of the DEIR.

A Public Hearing before the Project Planning Commission (PPC) was held on April 23, 2001. There were no public comments presented at the PPC hearing. The PPC closed the comment period and directed staff to prepare the Response to Comments and the Final EIR for presentation to the Board of Supervisors of Sacramento County.

The Final EIR was distributed in April 2002. The Board of Supervisors of the County of Sacramento considered the Final EIR for the Sacramento International Airport Jet Fuel Pipeline and Tank Farm project at a public hearing held on April 17, 2002. At the hearing, the Board of Supervisors of the County of Sacramento certified the Final Environmental Impact Report as adequate and complete and directed the preparation of Findings of Fact, a Statement of Overriding Considerations, and a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program.