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Public Resources Code section 21002, a key provision of CEQA,provides that"public agencies <br /> should not approve projects as proposed if there are feasible alternatives or feasible mitigation <br /> measures available which would substantially lessen the significant environmental effects of <br /> such projects[.]" The same statute states that the procedures required by CEQA"are intended to <br /> assist public agencies in systematically identifying both the significant effects of proposed <br /> projects and the feasible alternatives or feasible mitigation measures which will avoid or <br /> substantially lessen such significant effects." <br /> Where a lead agency has determined that, even after the adoption of all feasible mitigation <br /> measures,a project as proposed will still cause one or more significant environmental effects that <br /> cannot be substantially lessened or avoided, the agency, prior to approving the project as <br /> mitigated, must first determine whether, with respect to such impacts, there remain any project <br /> alternatives that are both environmentally superior and feasible within the meaning of CEQA. <br /> Although an EIR must evaluate this range of potentially feasible alternatives,an alternative may <br /> ultimately be deemed by the lead agency to be "infeasible" if it fails to fully promote the lead <br /> agency's underlying goals and objectives with respect to the project (CNPS, supra, 177 <br /> Cal.App.4th at pp. 999-1000; Citizens for Open Government v. City of Lodi (2012) 205 <br /> Cal.App.4th 296, 314-315; City of Del Mar, supra, 133 Cal.App.3d at p. 417.) ...Measibility' <br /> under CEQA encompasses 'desirability' to the extent that desirability is based on a reasonable <br /> balancing of the relevant economic,environmental, social,and technological factors." (Ibid.;see <br /> also CNPS,supra, 177 Cal.App.4th at p. 1001.)Thus,even if a project alternative will avoid or <br /> substantially lessen any of the significant environmental effects of the project, the decision- <br /> makers may reject the alternative if they determine that specific considerations make the <br /> alternative infeasible. <br /> Under CEQA Guidelines section 15126.6, the alternatives to be discussed in detail in an EBR <br /> should be able to "feasibly attain most of the basic objectives of the project[.]"For this reason, <br /> the project objectives described above provided the framework for defining possible project <br /> alternatives. (See Bay-Delta,supra,43 CalAth at p. 1166.)Alternatives also were evaluated based on <br /> `. general feasibility criteria suggested by the CEQA Guidelines. These criteria include site suitability, <br /> economic viability, availability of infrastructure, general plan consistency, other plans or regulatory <br /> limitations,jurisdictional boundaries, and whether the proponent can reasonably acquire, control or <br /> otherwise have access to the alternative site, including consideration of whether or not the site is <br /> already owned by the applicant(DEBR,p.7-2.) <br /> Based on the requirements of CEQA Guidelines section 15126.6 and the Project's Objectives, <br /> the following alternatives to the Project were identified: <br /> • No Project Alternative, <br /> • Reduced Project Size, <br /> • Building Realignment Alternative, <br /> • Alternative Use—Combination Gasoline Station,and <br /> • Alternative Use—Retail with Fast-Food Restaurant. <br /> Other alternatives were preliminarily considered in the Draft EBR Chapter 7 pursuant to CEQA <br /> Guidelines section 15126.6, but not considered further in the Draft EBR analysis. Off-site <br /> Love's Travel Stops Environmental Impact Report 11 Findings of Fact and <br /> Statement of Overriding Considerations <br /> %v <br />