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Potentially Less Than Less Than Analyzed Significant Significant with MitigationSignificant No In The <br />Impact Incorporated Impact Impact Prior EIR <br />VIII. GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS. <br /> <br />Would the project: <br /> <br />Generate greenhouse gas emissions, either <br />directly or indirectly, that may have a significant <br />impact on the environment? <br />Conflict with an applicable plan, policy or <br />regulation adopted for the purpose of reducing the <br />emissions of greenhouse gases? <br /> <br />Li Li <br />Impact Discussion: <br />a-b) Emissions of GHGs contributing to global climate change are attributable in large part to human <br />activities associated with the industrial/manufacturing, utility, transportation, residential, and <br />agricultural sectors. Therefore, the cumulative global emissions of GHGs contributing to global climate <br />change can be attributed to every nation, region, and city, and virtually every individual on earth. An <br />individual project's GHG emissions -are=at a -micro-scale level relative to global emissions and effects <br />to global climate change; however, an individual project could result-in a cumulatively considerable <br />incremental contribution to a significant cumulative macro-scale impact. As such, impacts related to <br />emissions of GHG are inherently considered cumulative impacts. <br />Implementation of the underlying project would cumulatively contribute to increases of GHG <br />emissions. Estimated GHG emissions attributable to future development would be primarily associated <br />with increases of carbon dioxide (CO2) and, to a lesser extent, other GHG pollutants, such as methane <br />(CH4) and nitrous oxide (N20) associated with area sources, mobile sources or vehicles, utilities <br />(electricity and natural gas), water usage, wastewater generation, and the generation of solid waste. <br />The primary source of GHG emissions for the project would be mobile source emissions. The common <br />unit of measurement for GHG is expressed in terms of annual metric tons of CO2 equivalents <br />(MTCO2e/yr). <br />As noted previously, the underlying project will be subject to the rules and regulations of the SJVAPCD. <br />The SJVAPCD has adopted the Guidance for Valley Land- use Agencies in Addressing GHG Emission <br />Impacts for New Projects under CEQA and the District Policy — Addressing GHG Emission Impacts <br />for Stationary Source Projects Under CEQA When Serving as the Lead Agency.11 The guidance and <br />policy rely on the use of performance-based standards, otherwise known as Best Performance <br />Standards (BPS) to assess significance of project specific greenhouse gas emissions on global <br />climate change during the environmental review process, as required by CEQA. To be determined to <br />have a less-than-significant individual and cumulative impact with regard to GHG emissions, projects <br />must include BPS sufficient to reduce GHG emissions by 29 percent when compared to Business As <br />Usual (BAU) GHG emissions. Per the SJVAPCD, BAU is defined as projected emissions for the 2002- <br />2004 baseline period. Projects which do not achieve a 29 percent reduction from BAU levels with BPS <br />alone are required to quantify additional project-specific reductions demonstrating a combined <br />reduction of 29 percent. Potential mitigation measures may include, but not limited to: on-site <br />renewable energy (e.g. solar photovoltaic systems), electric vehicle charging stations, the use of <br />alternative-fueled vehicles, exceeding Title 24 energy efficiency standards, the installation of energy- <br />efficient lighting and control systems, the installation of energy-efficient mechanical systems, the <br />installation of drought-tolerant landscaping, efficient irrigation systems, and the use of low-flow <br />plumbing fixtures. <br />PA-2000063(MP), PA-2000064(SP), & PA-2000065(SA) — Initial Study 15