SU0004094 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

environmental impacts." The evaluation of alternatives is governed by the"rule of reason," requiring evaluation of only those alternatives"necessary to permit a reasoned choice."(State CEQA Guidelines §15126.6(e)(3)(f).) State CEQA Guidelines §15126.6(e)requires that, among other alternatives, a"no project" alternative be evaluated in comparison to the proposed project. State CEQA Guidelines §15126.6(e)(2)requires that the"no project'analysis"discuss the existing conditions ... as well as what would be reasonably expected to occur in the foreseeable future if the project were not approved, based on current plans and consistent with available infrastructure and community services." The project alternatives evaluated in detail in the EIR were the following: • No Project Alternative • Reduced Project Production Alternative • Offsite Alternative E.1. Alternatives Considered but Rejected As Infeasible During the Scoping Process In determining whether an alternative scenario could meet the project goals and reduce impacts, the following alternatives were considered and rejected: E.I.I. Alternative Processing Plant Location: Under this alternative, other on-site locations for the processing plant were considered. Two locations with primary site access from Blewett Road were considered. A location further south along Koster Road was also considered. The two locations considered with access from Blewett Road were: (1) the corner of Blewett Road and Koster Road (Phase I) and(2) along the eastern side of the project site(mining Phase VI or Phase VII). The location considered further south on Koster Road is the vicinity of mining Phase H or Phase III. (Draft EIR,p. 5-2; Final EIR,p. 4-1 (discussion of revised project phasing).) This alternative was reviewed during the scoping process to provide a basis for comparing the impacts of a relocated processing plant on-site. Moving the processing plant so that the access to the site would be along Blewett Road may potentially reduce traffic impacts on Koster Road and those at the intersection of Koster Road and Blewett Road. Moving the processing plant to a location further south on Koster Road may potentially reduce visual impacts to residents located along Blewett Road and to those traveling along Blewett Road. Sensitive receptors have been identified in Figure 4.5-2, included in Section 4.5,Noise of the Draft EIR. (Draft EIR,pp. 5-2 to 5-3.) If the plant site were to be moved into Phase I with access from Blewett Road, the impacts of traffic on the portion of Koster Road south of Blewett Road would be reduced. Truck traffic at 40