SR0082985_SSNL - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

5 – Effects Found Not To Be Significant Draft Environmental Impact Report February 2021 14800 W. Schulte Road Logistics Center 5-7 will ensure that adverse impacts associated with on-site soils and septic systems do not occur. Therefore, impacts associated with the underlying soils’ ability to support septic systems would be less than significant. Paleontological Resources According to the County’s General Plan EIR (County of San Joaquin 2014), several paleontological specimens have been discovered in San Joaquin County. The vast majority of paleontological specimens from San Joaquin County have been found in rock formations in the foothills of the Diablo Mountain Range. However, remains of extinct animals, such as mammoth, could be found virtually anywhere in the County, especially along watercourses, such as the San Joaquin River and its tributaries. Although the Project site is located within the proximity of these fossil-bearing features, the Project site has been subject to extensive disturbance, including previous grading and utility excavation activities, that occurred as a result of the prior on-site biomass energy facility. In addition, previous development of the Project site involved the placement of artificial fill on the site. Transported fill materials generally do not contain significant paleontological resources on or very near the surface immediately underlying a site. These activities on the Project site have resulted in a site that is highly variable, containing various depressions as deep as 20 feet below ground surface. Given the extent of this disturbance, it is unlikely that paleontological resources, if they were ever present on site, would remain intact. Therefore, impacts associated with paleontological resources would be less than significant. 5.4 Hazards and Hazardous Materials Transport, Use, and Disposal of Hazardous Materials Under existing conditions, the Project site is unoccupied and contains several soil stockpiles associated with the site’s previous use as a biomass energy facility, which has since been demolished. A Phase II subsurface investigation was conducted at the Project site to investigate impacts of the potential release of hazardous materials that may have been handled on the Project site as a result of previous on-site operations (Partner 2018b). The Phase II subsurface investigation included a geophysical survey, the advancement of 12 soil borings, and the collection of one shallow soil sample and one four -point composite soil sample. A total of 14 soil samples were analyzed for total petroleum hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds, and metals. After analysis, the Phase II investigation determined that various metals are present within the subsurface at shallow depths; however, none of the detected metals exceed California Code of Regulations Title 22 criteria indicating that on - site soils would be considered a hazardous waste (Partner 2018b). If affected soil were to be moved off site, additional sampling may be required to confirm whether the soil meets receiving-facility criteria, although such sampling would be required only to meet receiving -facility criteria, and the retaining of soil on site would not pose a risk to future occupants of the site. The Phase II investigation also found evidence of residual total petroleum hydrocarbons in soil beneath the Project site; however, these detections are below the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Board Environmental Screening Levels and do not represent a significant threat to human health o r the environment (Partner 2018b). Should Project implementation require the export of existing soils off site, soils would be transported to a permitted facility for disposal in accordance with facility requirements and with applicable regulations. As suc h, the Phase II investigation concluded that the site’s former use has not resulted in any conditions that would require remediation or present a hazard to construction workers or future occupants of the Project site (Partner 2018b).