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11 Caroll Mortensen January 13, 2012 Page 10 C IV.0-4. Increasing the number of allowable Sundays that the landfill would operate would result in a significant increase in noise levels on these comparatively peaceful days. While the noise generated by the facility's equipment will be intrusive, the noise generated by 1,200 to almost 2,000 heavy-duty trips would be particularly severe. Excessively loud single -noise events, such as those associated with heavy-duty trucks, are particularly burdensome to sensitive receptors. In fact, the decibel level of a heavy- duty truck can be as high as 82 dBA fifty feet from the center line of a roadway. DEIR at IV.0-5, Table IV.0-3. Increasing truck trips by this magnitude on Sundays would certainly exceed the County's 65 dB Ldn threshold for many outdoor residential uses and would likely exceed the 45 dB Ldn threshold for certain indoor residential uses. Although the County's noise ordinance clearly requires that these elevated noise levels be mitigated, no mitigation measures have been identified in the SWFP ND. 3. The Increase in Landfill Operations Will Have Potentially Significant Air Quality Impacts. Forward's proposal to increase the number of days per year that the landfill would operate would result in a potentially significant increase in air pollutants. There are numerous sources of emissions associated with landfill operations: fugitive dust (PMIo and PM 2,5) from earth -moving; and reactive organic gas ("ROG"), nitrogen oxides ("NOX"), and carbon monoxide ("CO") from the flare and LFG engines. Landfill -related trucks and vehicles emit ROG, NO, CO, PMIo, and PM2,5. See 2010 DEIR at IV.D-3 through IV.D-6. Existing air quality in the vicinity of the landfill is poor. Data from the nearby monitoring station shows that the area exceeds the California and federal ozone standard between 7 and 21 days per year, the PMIo standard between 18 and 62 days per year, and the PM2.5 standard between about 9 and 34 days per year. 2010 DEIR at IV.D- 16 Table IV.D-2. Given the poor air quality in the area, any increase in emissions certainly has the potential to result in additional exceedances of state and federal air quality standards. In addition, the substantial increase in truck trips would expose nearby residents to elevated concentrations of diesel particulate matter ("DPM"). The California Air Resources Board ("CARB") identified the particulate fraction of diesel exhaust as a toxic air contaminant and has concluded that diesel exhaust is a potent carcinogen. CARB, June 1998. The SWFP ND did not evaluate the increase in risk of chronic and SHUTE f MIHALY --WEINBERGERu_P