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a new source of construction material removes an obstacle to growth by providing building materials required to facilitate growth. B-40 The Draft EIR did not analyze the air quality or other impacts of increased cont. growth made possible by the Project. These impacts would likely be highly significant and include emissions from construction of housing and roads, increased traffic, and increased emissions from increases in traffic, thus further degrading air quality. IV.E.Lb Emissions from Increased Electricity Generation The Project intends to operate a variety of equipment that will be powered by electricity,e.g., the rock crusher, feeders, conveyors, and the screening equipment. Additionally, electricity is required for water pumps, facility lighting, and personnel _ and administrative purposes. Thus, the Project would increase the use of electricity and other energy resources. The Draft EIR failed to address or even discuss the off- site emissions associated with the generation of electricity. — An EIR for another quarry project, the Blue Rock Quarry in Forestville, CA, estimated an average electricity use of about 33,000 kilowatt-hours ("kWh") per 13-41 _ month for a production rate of 400,000 cubic yards of products per year. Extrapolated from this estimate, the Project would have an average electricity use of _ about 165,000 kWh per month or about 1,980 megawatt-hours ("MWh") per year.39 The actual demand is likely to be higher since this figure is based on a production rate of 4.0 million tons per year, which corresponds to operating only about 21 days per year (or 63 days per year assuming 8 hours per day). (See discussion in Comment W.A.) Clearly, such a large facility would operate more than 21 days per year. — The most recent data for the California electricity grid available from the U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration, indicates that in 2003 an average of 0.7 pounds of NOx was emitted per MWh of electricity produced. (DoE 04/0640, attached as Exhibit 3.) Thus, the indirect emissions associated with the �8 County of Sonoma,Blue Rock Quarry Expansion,Draft Environmental Impact Report, SCH#2001032062, August 2005. 39(4,000,000 ton/year)/ (2 ton/yd3)/ (400,000 yd3/year)x (33,0000 kWh/month)_ 165,000 kWh/month x 12 months/year x (1 MWh/1,000 kWh)=1980 MWh/year. 40 U.S.Department of Energy,Energy Information Administration,State Electricity Profiles 2003, April 2006,DOE/IIA-0629,April 2006; http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/ftproot/electricity/stateprofiles/03st_profiles/062903.pdf,last accessed — June 23,2006. 30