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Draft Environmental Impact Report Page IV.A-5 Forward Inc. Landfill Expansion The proposed expansion areas (the 185-acre parcel to the southwest of the existing landfill site, approximately 11 acres in the southeast of the existing landfill, and approximately 10 acres in the northeast of the existing landfill) are not considered Prime agricultural land as defined by the State of California (Government Code Section 51201). According to the National Resource Conservation Service land use capability classifications, the current project area soils classification symbols are 180 (Jacktone Clay) and 250 (Stockton Clay),the Storie Index rating is 20 and 25, and the soils have a Class III rating if irrigated or Class IV rating if non-irrigated. The proposed expansion area southwest of the existing landfill site has been fallow for the last three years, prior to which it was used for growing alfalfa and miscellaneous row crops rather than as grazing land. Returns on this area have been less than$200 per acre. (Lewis, 2009). The 11-acre expansion area in the southeast of the existing landfill consists of a creek channel, does not provide viable grazing land, and has not been used in agriculture for many years. The approximately 10 acres in the northeast ofthe existing landfill also is not viable as grazing land and has not been used for agriculture for many years. Because the proposed expansion areas meet none of the above (bulleted) criteria,they are not considered prime agricultural land. San Joaquin County has established Agricultural Preserves. The minimum size necessary for the establishment, or resulting alteration of, an Agricultural Preserve is one hundred acres of contiguous land designated General Agriculture (A/G), Limited Agriculture (A/L), or Agriculture Urban Reserve (A/UR)on the General Plan Map. The proposed Forward Landfill expansion area is located within Agricultural Preserve R-69-C1, which was adopted by the Board of Supervisors January 9, 1969. Figure IV.A-3 shows Agricultural Preserve R-69-C1 and the project site. All three'of the proposed expansion areas (185 acres located south and west of the current permitted landfill, 11 acres along the existing alignment of the South Branch of the South Fork of Littlejohns Creek,and approximately 10 acres in the northeast corner of the site, or a total of approximately 206 acres)would be converted to landfill use under the proposed project. As discussed above,none of the three expansion areas are considered prime agricultural land. (Although Figure IV.A-2 indicates that portions of the expansion area south and west of the current landfill and the approximately 10 acres in the northeast corner of the site are prime agricultural land,no part of these expansion area meets the criteria for prime agricultural land discussed above.) However,the expansion areas south and west of the current permitted landfill and in the northeast corner of the site are considered to be Farmland of Statewide Importance. County of San Joaquin General Plan and Zoning The County's General Plan was in the process of being updated at the time this EIR was prepared. Until the new General Plan is adopted, the current General Plan(San Joaquin County General Plan 2010) will serve as the planning document governing the project.