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remains interred outside of a formal burial area could be present. There will be minimal excavation (less than 5 acres) associated with the project. Excavation is expected to range from 6 to 8 feet below the ground surface in limited areas. Excavations will encounter the Pleistocene Modesto Formation, which may contain paleontological resources. Pleistocene remains are uncommon in San Joaquin County — in fact, only 29 specimens have been recovered, accounting for less than four percent of all paleontological resources in the County. Because excavation for the project will be limited and because there are very few Pleistocene-aged paleontological resources present, the likelihood of encountering paleontological resources is very low. However unlikely, disturbance or destruction of a paleontological resource could still occur and therefore represents a potentially significant impact. Potential impacts to archaeological resources will be less than significant with implementation of mitigation measures that require that the applicant and/or project contractors to halt work if archaeological resources or paleontological resources are discovered during ground-disturbing activities, that such resources will be evaluated by a qualified archaeologist and a Native American representative and a qualified paleontologist and if necessary, develop appropriate salvaging measures. Implementation of the mitigation measures will ensure that the project's contribution to cumulative cultural resource impacts will be less than significant. The project's impact to cultural resources has been identified as a potentially significant impact but will be reduced to a less than significant impact with the incorporation of the mitigation measures. Hazards and Hazardous Materials The project could create a significant hazard to the public or the environment through the routine transport, use, or disposal of hazardous materials, or through reasonable foreseeable upset and accident conditions involving the release of hazardous materials into the environment. In particular, project construction will result in the use of hazardous and potentially hazardous materials on the site, including fuels, paints, lubricants, antifreeze, solvents, and other potentially hazardous materials needed for construction activities. Mismanagement or improper handling of these materials could result in their accidental release to the environment, which could in turn result in a hazardous condition to workers, the public, or the environment. Additionally, fuels and other chemicals used onsite during routine operations could be accidentally released into the environment, causing a hazardous condition for workers and/or the environment. Further, one of the parcels that will be incorporated into the proposed project is listed as an open site assessment with California Geotracker because it contains a series of five former wastewater discharge ponds associated with the adjacent Cal Suprema Cheese facility operation. The ponds were used previously for evaporation and possibly infiltration of food processing wastewater. The remaining soils contain elevated levels of salts and total dissolved solids, which are considered groundwater pollutants and which could leach into the underlying aquifer. One of the existing wastewater ponds has undergone removal of the upper two feet of pond sediments in order to reduce leaching of salts and dissolved solids to groundwater. However, the remaining ponds have not undergone cleanup and could leach salt and dissolved solids into groundwater during rain events, unless additional cleanup procedures are completed. The applicant is in the process of remediating these ponds. The proposed project will be located adjacent to rural agricultural areas and the Sharpe Army Depot. Overland fires could occur in agricultural areas during periods when sufficient dry fuel is available, such as following harvest of some crops. Overland fire may also occur at the Sharpe Army Depot site, especially in open grassland areas such as those along the northern and southern ends of the Depot. Unless carefully managed, use of onsite construction machinery including graders, bulldozers, earth movers, and backhoes, as well as welding and other construction activities, could result in the ignition of an overland fire onsite or on adjacent properties. San Joaquin County PA-0900184 & 185\Union Pacific Community Development Page 11