SU0015801 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

4 Environmental Analysis 4.3 Air Quality 4.3 AIR QUALITY This section identifies and evaluates issues related to air quality in the context of the Griffith Energy Storage Project (Project). It includes the physical and regulatory setting, the criteria used to evaluate the significance of potential impacts, the methods used in evaluating these impacts, and the results of the impact assessment. This analysis is based in part on the Project-specific Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Technical Report prepared on the Applicant's behalf (Appendix D). 4.3.1 Existing Conditions 4.3.1.1 Climate and Topography The California Air Resources Board (CARB) divides the state into air basins that share similar meteorological and topographical features. The Project site is located in the San Joaquin Valley Air Basin (SJVAB), which occupies the southern half of the Central Valley and comprises eight counties: San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Fresno, Merced, Madera, Kings, Tulare, and portions of Kern County. Cumulatively, these counties represent approximately 16 percent of California's geographic area, making the SJVAB the second largest air quality basin (based on area) as delineated by the CARB (SJVAPCD 2015a). The SJVAB is approximately 250 miles long and 35 miles in width (on average) and is bordered by the Coast Range Mountains on the west, the Sierra Nevada mountains on the east, and the Tehachapi Mountains to the south. On the valley floor, the SJVAB is open only to the north, which heavily influences prevailing winds. Although marine air generally flows into the SJVAB from the San Francisco Bay Area through the Carquinez Strait (a gap in the Coast Range Mountains) and low mountain passes, such as Altamont Pass and Pacheco Pass, the mountain ranges restrict air movement through the SJVAB. Marine air occasionally flows from the San Joaquin River Delta toward the south, over the Tehachapi Pass. The Coastal Range and the Sierra Nevada range restrict air movement to the west and east, respectively. During winter, weak winds can lead to limited transport of pollutants. Additionally, most of the surrounding mountains are above the normal height of summer inversion layers (1,500 to 3,000 feet). These topographic features result in weak airflow and poor dispersion of pollutants. The SJVAB is in a Mediterranean Climate Zone, characterized by hot and dry summers with maximum temperatures that often exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and winters with sparse rainfall. High pressure events can lead to temperature inversions, inhibiting vertical mixing and trapping air pollutants. As a result, the SJVAB is highly susceptible to pollutant accumulation (SJVAPCD 2015a). 4.3.1.2 Pollutants and Effects The potential for high pollutant concentrations at a given location depends on the quantity of pollutants emitted into the atmosphere in the surrounding area or upwind and the ability of the atmosphere to disperse the contaminated air. Topographic and climatological factors influence the atmospheric pollution potential of an area. The potential for air pollution is a function of emissions sources, wind flow patterns, inversions, solar radiation, and topography. Griffith Energy Storage Project 4.3-1 Tetra Tech/SCH 2022120675 Draft Environmental Impact Report August 2023