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Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Report Page IV.0-11 Forward Inc. Landfill 2018 Expansion Project Impact CA. Cumulative Traffic Noise Impacts (Revises 2013 EIR Impact C.4.) In the 2013 EIR, traffic noise levels were modeled for two cumulative scenarios,including a near-term scenario that considers projects in the study area and the 2035 scenario, which is based on the findings of the study of the proposed Mariposa Lakes development. The cumulative noise analysis in the 2013 EIR found that the near-term and 2035 noise level increases attributed to increased traffic from other planned development and the increased project truck traffic would exceed the significance criteria along roadway segments on Austin Road,Arch Road and French Camp west of Austin Road. Cumulative traffic noise level increases for the revised project are shown in Table IV.0-4(columns identified as"Change Existing+Project+Cumulative from Existing"; "Change 2036 Cumulative NP from Existing NP";and"Change 2036+Project from Existing NP"). The table shows that the noise levels would increase in 2036 (compared to the existing levels)before addition of the noise from the increased project truck traffic. The additional truck traffic noise that would be associated with the proposed project would further increase traffic noise and contribute to a significant cumulative noise impact. As stated in the 2013 EIR Summary of Impacts and Mitigation Measures Table, no feasible mitigation measures are available to reduce the projects contribution to cumulative noise impacts. It should be noted that sound barriers are not feasible in the semi-rural areas that would be affected by cumulative traffic increases,because the barriers would be far removed from the activity areas of sensitive receptors and the sound barriers would generally be an unnatural barrier not only to noise but also to distant views now possible in these areas. Thus,no mitigations are available for this cumulative impact other than reducing project operations. Such a reduction would be a substantial change to the proposed project and therefore is addressed as a component of Alternative 2B (Reduced Size/Reduced Daily Operations Alternative)in Chapter V of the 2013 EIR. Therefore,the project's noise increment is considered to be cumulatively considerable and the cumulative traffic noise impact is considered significant and unavoidable.