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Executive Summary EXECUTIVE SUMMARY INTRODUCTION Griffith Energy Storage, LLC (Applicant), a wholly owned, indirect subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources, LLC (NEER), has applied to the San Joaquin County Community Development Department for a Site Approval (SA)' to construct, operate, maintain, and decommission a 400- megawatt (MW) battery energy storage system (BESS) and associated facilities and infrastructure, to be known as the Griffith Energy Storage Project(Project) in San Joaquin County. Additionally, because the Project includes an access road and interconnection generation-tie(gen- tle) line directly adjacent to the battery storage site in Alameda County, the Applicant seeks approval of a Utility Roadway Permit from Alameda County. Approval of such an encroachment permit would be a discretionary action, making Alameda County a Responsible Agency for the Project, pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Section 15381. The energy storage facility would house lithium-ion batteries (or similar technology) totaling 400 MW of energy on a 106-acre site, owned by a private landowner in unincorporated San Joaquin County.To avoid environmental constraints, only an estimated 32 acres of the 106-acre site would be used for the Project within San Joaquin County. The proposed BESS would provide reliable and flexible power to the local electrical system. In addition to the energy storage facility, the Project would interconnect at the Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) Tesla Substation in close proximity to the site in Alameda County via a 230-kilovolt(W) interconnection generation tie (gen- tle) line that extends from the energy storage facility within a gen-tie corridor partially within Alameda County. "Projects"within the State of California are required to undergo environmental review to determine the environmental impacts associated with implementation of the project in accordance with CEQA. For the proposed Project, San Joaquin County is the lead agency, and thus is required to conduct an environmental review to analyze the potential environmental effects associated with the proposed Project. This document is a Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) prepared in accordance with CEQA. It provides an overview of the proposed Project and considers alternatives, identifies the anticipated environmental impacts from the proposed Project and the alternatives, and identifies mitigation measures designed to reduce the level of significance of any significant impact. PURPOSE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT The primary purpose of CEQA is to inform the public and decision makers as to the potential impacts of a project and to allow an opportunity for public input to ensure informed decision making. CEQA requires all state and local government agencies to consider the environmental effects of projects over which they have discretionary authority. CEQA also requires each public The Site Approval process provides a method for reviewing proposed uses which possess characteristics that require special appraisal in order to determine if the uses have the potential to adversely affect other land uses,transportation, or facilities in the vicinity.The Review Authority may require conditions of approval necessary to eliminate,or minimize to an acceptable level, any potentially adverse effects of a use. Griffith Energy Storage Project ES-1 Tetra Tech/SCH 2022120675 Draft Environmental Impact Report August 2023