COMPLIANCE INFO_FINAL INITIAL STUDY/MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION 5/25

Home Browse Search

North County Recycling Center and Sanitary Landfill Permit Revision Project Final Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration · San Joaquin County | May 2025 42 increase in waste intake and associated landfill operations. However, GHG emissions from on- road mobile sources would decrease by 230 metric tons CO2e per year, mainly attributable to the shorter truck trip distance of the re-routed trucks. It is to be noted that GHG emissions from off- road and on-road mobile sources in later years would be lower due to the increasingly stringent emissions standards and fleet turnover (including off-road equipment, trucks, and on-road passenger vehicles). Methane emissions from LFG for 2026 were estimated to represent the project year (2026) impact. As waste is continuously deposited in the landfill, methane production will gradually increase throughout the landfill’s operational life. After landfill closure, methane generation typically declines due to reduced moisture infiltration. The overall methane generation rates for the baseline and project conditions were estimated using LandGEM. After the closure year, methane emissions under both conditions decline, and the project condition shows a lower long- term emission rate compared to the baseline condition. To represent the overall impact of the project, total LFG-derived methane emissions over 50 years past the project year (2026 to 2076) were estimated for the baseline condition and the project condition and then averaged to obtained representative average annual GHG emissions rates. Over 50 years, the LFG generated under baseline and project conditions would result in total CO2e emissions of 2,831,406 metric tons (56,628 metric tons per year). On average, the project would increase annual CO2e emissions by 1,295 metric tons per year. The Valley Air District has not established a numerical GHG emissions threshold and recommends evaluating project-level GHG emissions impacts based on compliance with an approved GHG emission reduction plan or GHG mitigation program or implementation of BPS. The North County Landfill is required to comply with the CARB Landfill Methane Regulation, which requires MSW landfills to reduce methane and other air pollutant emissions through emissions monitoring and capturing of methane emissions. Since the project will comply with a statewide plan for GHG reductions, the project would have a less-than-significant impact related to GHG emissions. b) Conflict with any applicable plan, policy, or regulation of an agency adopted for the purpose of reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases? No Impact The 2022 Scoping Plan outlines a roadmap for the state to achieve targets for carbon neutrality and reduce anthropogenic GHG emissions by 85 percent below 1990 levels no later than 2045. The 2022 Scoping Plan identifies actions and outcomes such as rapidly moving to zero-emission transportation; electrifying cars, buses, trains, and trucks; phasing out the use of fossil gas used for heating homes and buildings; reducing down on chemicals and refrigerants; providing communities with sustainable options for walking, biking, and public transit; building out clean, renewable energy resources to displace fossil-fuel fired electrical generation; and scaling up new options such as renewable hydrogen and biomethane. In addition, the 2022 Scoping Plan outlines several strategies to reduce methane emissions from landfills, with a focus on organic waste diversion, composting and anerobic digestion capacity expansion, and existing landfill operational improvements. As discussed above, the project would result in a net decrease in daily haul truck VMT. For medium and heavy-duty trucks, California has the following regulations, strategies, and plans to reduce GHG emissions: Advanced Clean Truck Regulation, Tractor-Trailer Greenhouse Gas