SU0004094 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

5.Altematives — Basis for Selection _ The Applicant has stated in their updated application (December 2003) that the proposed project is a replacement facility for their Tracy Plant. The Tracy Facility will be depleted of reserves in three to ten years. According to the Division of Mines and Geology, 82 percent of the material — produced in the TracyNernalis area satisfies market demand to the north in the Stockton area. Utilizing an existing facility closer to the market, potentially reducing traffic, noise, air quality, and visual impacts at the project site may be a more environmentally sensitive alternative. — Distinctive Environmental Characteristics The following summarizes potential impacts of the"Processing Material Extracted at the Project Site at the Existing RMC Pacific Materials' Tracy Facility"alternative: The material extracted at the project site would be taken to an existing facility that is already processing material. This would serve to reduce some of the impacts to the project site.The visual impacts would be reduced to residents near the project site and those traveling along Blewett and — Koster Road. The construction and operations emissions would be reduced by not having a processing facility at the project site. The noise impacts from processing materials at the site would be eliminated with this alternative. — However, there would still be truck traffic in the Vernalis area due to the trucks taking the extracted material to the existing Tracy Facility. Haul truck traffic might actually be increased — because the trucks would then need to make additional trips when traveling to the Tracy Facility to pick up and deliver the material after it has been processed. 5.2 Alternatives Evaluated in This EIR 5.2.1 Alternative 1-No Project Alternative Description The No Project Alternative is defined as the continuation of the existing condition(baseline)and trends in the project area. This alternative would involve no action on the part of San Joaquin — County, Stanislaus County,or the Applicant for development of the project. Under this alternative, the proposed mining and processing would not occur, and the project site would remain as agricultural land and rural residential in its existing condition,as described in — Chapter 3,Project Description,and in the setting sections of Chapter 4 of this EIR. No discretionary approval would he required under this alternative. — Basis for Selection The No Project Alternative is included in this EIR because the CEQA Guidelines, Section 15126.6(e)(1), require that an EIR evaluate a"no project"alternative along with its impact in order to provide a comparison of the impacts of approving the proposed project with the impacts _ RMC Pacific Vernalis Quarry Mining and Reclamation Project 5-6 ESA 1203015 Draft Environmental Impact Report May 2006