NOTICE OF PREPARATION. California Office of Planning and Research, Responsible Agencies, Trustee Agencies, and Other Interested Parties

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1 COUNTY SANITATION DISTRICTS OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY 1955 Workman Mill Road, Whittier, CA Mailing Address: P.O. Box 4998, Whittie r, CA Telephone: (562) , FAX: (562) STEPHEN R. MAGUIN Chief Engineer and Genera/ Manager NOTICE OF PREPARATION To: Subject: Project Title: Lead Agency: California Office of Planning and Research, Responsible Agencies, Trustee Agencies, and Other Interested Parties Notice of Preparation of an Environmental Impact Report Santa Clarita Valley Sanitation District of Los Angeles County 1955 Workman Mill Road, Whittier, CA, Date: January 6, 2012 Public Review Period: January 9, 2012, through February 17, 2012 The Santa Clarita Valley Sanitation District (SCVSD) will be the Lead Agency and will prepare an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the subject project. The need for the project, project description, project location, and potential environmental impacts are described in the attached discussion. If you are a Responsible or Trustee Agency, the SCVSD is soliciting written comments as to the scope and content of the environmental information, including alternatives, impacts, and mitigation measures, that may be relevant to your agency's statutory responsibilities in connection with the proposed project. Your agency will need to use the EIR prepared by SCVSD when considering any permit or other approval for the project. Please provide the name and telephone number of a contact person in your agency with your response. If you are a resident, property owner, or interested party, the SCVSD is requesting your written comments concerning any alternatives you believe should be considered or any environmental effects the project may have on your property or your community. Please share this NOP with anyone else you feel may have an interest in this project. An electronic version of this NOP can be found at info/ documents_ for _public _review.asp. The SCVSD is holding a 40-day review period in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Please submit your written comments to the undersigned at the address shown above no later than 4:00p.m. on February 17, Three EIR scoping meetings will be held at the City of Santa Clarita Activities Center located at Centre Pointe Parkway, Santa Clarita, CA, The first meeting will be held on February 1, 2012, at 1:30 p.m. in the Canyon Room and is primarily for agencies but the public is welcome to attend. The second and third meetings specifically for public participation will be held in the Santa Clarita Banquet Room on February 1 and February 9, 2012, respectively. Staff will be available at 6:30p.m. to answer questions and the meetings will begin at 7:00p.m. with a presentation followed by public comment period. For further information about the project, please contact Ms. Mary Jacobs at , extension 728, or via t mjacobs@lacsd.org. Date: /I b j;z_ ~~~,L Bryan Uangpap, P.E., BCE Supervising Engineer, Planning Section Notice of Preparation 1 ESA I D January 2012

2 1.0 Introduction The Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County (Sanitation Districts) are a confederation of 23 sanitation districts, including the Santa Clarita Valley Sanitation District (SCVSD), that serve the wastewater management needs of approximately 5.4 million people in Los Angeles County (County). These services include collection and treatment of wastewater (water from sinks, toilets, laundry, etc.). The Sanitation Districts service area covers approximately 820 square miles and encompasses 78 cities and unincorporated territory within the County. Additional information is available on our website at The SCVSD provides wastewater management services for approximately 250,000 residents in the City of Santa Clarita and adjacent unincorporated areas. The SCVSD collects wastewater from households and businesses within its service area and treats the wastewater at its Saugus and Valencia Water Reclamation Plants (WRPs). The treated water is of high quality and suitable for a wide range of uses such as irrigation of street medians, golf courses, parks, and schools. Most of the treated wastewater is not currently reused and is discharged to the Santa Clara River. The Santa Clara River supports aquatic species and habitat, recharges the underlying groundwater basin that supplies drinking water, and serves other downstream users. Under the federal Clean Water Act and the state s Porter Cologne Act, the California Regional Water Quality Control Board-Los Angeles Region (Regional Board) is responsible for regulating discharges to the Santa Clara River to protect beneficial uses of the river. In fulfilling this responsibility, the Regional Board adopted the Upper Santa Clara River Chloride Total Maximum Daily Load (Chloride TMDL) in The Chloride TMDL imposed a chloride limit of 100 milligrams per liter (mg/l) for the treated water discharged to the Santa Clara River from the SCVSD s two WRPs. Chloride is a type of salt and is naturally present in the drinking water supplied to Santa Clarita homes and businesses. When wastewater leaves homes and businesses in the sewer system, the chloride level is higher due to additions from regular human activities. Chloride is also added during wastewater treatment as a disinfectant to remove harmful microorganisms. These additions cause chloride levels in the treated wastewater to exceed the 100 mg/l limit. In December 2008, the Regional Board revised the Chloride TMDL to allow a higher 117 mg/l chloride limit contingent upon the SCVSD s implementation of an alternative compliance plan. This alternative plan included construction of extensive salt removal facilities in Ventura County to offset the higher 117 mg/l chloride limit. In 2010, the SVCSD Board of Directors did not approve the rate increase required to fund the alternative plan and directed staff to pursue less costly options. In recent years, chloride levels in the WRP discharges have dropped significantly due to improved source control, largely through the community s unprecedented removal of over 7,300 automatic water softeners. Additional efforts to remove the relatively small number of remaining water softeners are underway. These reduced chloride levels provide a major benefit by reducing the size and cost of additional treatment facilities needed to comply with the chloride limit. Although chloride in the WRP discharges has been reduced, the state s regulation requires further chloride reduction. At this point, the SCVSD has three choices: (1) construct the chloride removal facilities needed to meet the 100 mg/l chloride limit, (2) construct the facilities in the alternative compliance plan, or (3) face steep fines from the Regional Board for non-compliance. In May 2011, the Regional Board issued a Notice of Violation thereby informing the SCVSD that it was out of compliance with the Chloride TMDL and subject to fines fines that SCVSD ratepayers would have to pay. Recognizing the potential for substantial fines, the SCVSD Board of Directors directed staff to begin formal evaluation of alternatives to comply with the 100 mg/l chloride limit. These activities include preparation of the (Facilities Plan) and associated Environmental Impact Report (EIR) that is the subject of this Notice of Preparation. 2

3 2.0 Need for Project As required by the federal Clean Water Act and the state s Porter Cologne Act, the Regional Board established a chloride limit for the Santa Clara River to protect beneficial uses of the river. As last revised in 2008, the Chloride TMDL requires the SCVSD to comply with either the 100 mg/l chloride limit or the modified 117 mg/l chloride limit conditioned upon construction of the facilities in the alternative compliance plan. Chloride removal facilities are needed to comply with either limit. 3.0 Santa Clarita Valley Sanitation District Chloride Compliance Facilities Plan 3.1 Project Objectives The goal of the Facilities Plan is to meet the following objectives in an environmentally sound and costeffective manner. The EIR will analyze the potential environmental impacts of feasible alternatives identified in the Facilities Plan. Provide compliance with the Regional Board s Chloride TMDL for SCVSD wastewater treatment and discharge facilities. Provide the necessary wastewater treatment facilities and programs for chloride removal while conserving the area designated for the future Valencia WRP Stage VI expansion. Provide a wastewater treatment and effluent management program that accommodates recycled water reuse opportunities in the community while protecting beneficial uses of the Santa Clara River. 3.2 Project Description The project alternatives described in the Facilities Plan consist of construction of ultraviolet light (UV) disinfection facilities at potentially both WRPs, advanced wastewater treatment (AWT) facilities at the Valencia WRP, and brine disposal facilities. Each component is described below. The entire project would be located within Los Angeles County and the locations of project components are shown in Figures 1 and 2. Ultraviolet Light (UV) Disinfection Chloride in the WRP discharges is increased by chemicals added during wastewater treatment to remove harmful microorganisms. To minimize such inputs, the existing chlorine-based disinfection process would be replaced by UV disinfection facilities. Advanced Wastewater Treatment (AWT) Facility At both the Saugus and Valencia WRPs, the wastewater undergoes solids removal (primary treatment), biological removal of dissolved compounds (secondary treatment), and filtration (tertiary treatment). However, because none of these steps remove chloride, advanced treatment is needed in addition to conversion to UV disinfection. An AWT facility would be constructed at the Valencia WRP to further treat a portion of the tertiary-treated water that is discharged to the Santa Clara River. The AWT facility would be a desalination system that uses microfiltration (MF) for pretreatment followed by reverse osmosis (RO) for chloride removal. RO is a process that produces ultra-clean water (RO product water) by forcing water through a membrane with microscopic openings. The water and compounds left behind become brine that requires proper disposal as discussed below. The RO product water would be added to tertiary-treated water to generate a blended water that meets the chloride limit. 3

4 RO Product Water Pipeline System If necessary to meet regulatory requirements, a portion of the RO product water would be pumped to the Saugus WRP via a new 3.5-mile pipeline for blending with tertiary-treated water prior to treated water being discharged to the Santa Clara River. The anticipated pipeline diameter is approximately 12 inches. A new pump station at the Valencia WRP would be needed. Brine Disposal System In removing chloride and other constituents from the wastewater, the RO process produces a brine byproduct high in chloride and a variety of other constituents that requires disposal. The EIR will evaluate several brine disposal alternatives including: (1) brine injection deep underground into isolated, highly saline formations, and (2) ocean discharge via a new pipeline to a sewer in the Sanitation Districts Joint Outfall System (see Figure 2). Alternative 1 - Deep Well Injection. Deep well injection for brine disposal is a well-established practice that is routinely used for disposal of waste brine generated during oil and natural gas extraction. A deep well injection system consists of wells typically over one mile deep that inject brine into geologic formations that already contain highly saline water and are isolated from underground drinking water sources. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency s (USEPA s) Underground Injection Control Program was established to prevent injection wells from contaminating potential drinking water sources. In this alternative, brine would be disposed in injection wells permitted by the USEPA as Class I nonhazardous injection wells. The wells and supporting facilities (pumps, piping, etc.) would be located at the Valencia WRP or two offsite properties up to 7 miles away. Up to one acre at the offsite properties would be needed for the wells and supporting facilities. In addition, a new pump station at the Valencia WRP and a pipeline would be needed to convey brine to the offsite properties. Alternative 2 - Brine Pipeline to Existing Ocean Discharge. In this alternative, brine would be conveyed via a new pipeline to an existing trunk sewer within the Sanitation Districts Joint Outfall System and eventually to the Sanitation Districts Joint Water Pollution Control Plant (JWPCP) in the city of Carson. The JWPCP already receives wastewater with higher levels of salt and has an ocean outfall to convey treated wastewater to the ocean. The brine pipeline is anticipated to be approximately 37 miles long and have a 10-inch diameter. The pipeline would be installed in public right-of-way to the maximum extent possible and would begin at the Valencia WRP and end at the existing City Terrace Trunk Sewer located approximately four miles east of downtown Los Angeles. One or more pump stations would be needed to convey brine over the Newhall Pass. Other Alternatives. Other feasible alternatives identified during the Facilities Plan process will also be analyzed. Beneficial Reuse of Recycled Water The Castaic Lake Water Agency (CLWA) provides recycled water to the Santa Clarita Valley. In their most recent Recycled Water Master Plan, CLWA projects an increasing need for recycled water that will reach 17,400 acre-feet per year by To meet the project objective of accommodating recycled water reuse opportunities, SCVSD would make recycled water available in quantities needed to support CLWA s Master Plan. Using recycled water reduces the use of potable water and eases concerns of a water shortage during drought. Depending on how quickly recycled water usage increases, discharge of treated wastewater to the Santa Clara River may drop. The EIR will evaluate potential environmental impacts from reduced discharge to the Santa Clara River and CLWA will be separately responsible for investigating the potential environmental impacts associated with providing recycled water to end users. 4

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7 4.0 Potential Environmental Effects The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires analysis and consideration of a project s environmental impacts. An EIR will be prepared to evaluate potential direct, indirect, and cumulative environmental impacts for the feasible alternatives identified in the Facilities Plan as well as the CEQArequired No-Project Alternative. The EIR will assess both short-term construction impacts as well as long-term effects associated with project operation. The following sections summarize potential effects of the project to be evaluated in the EIR at a minimum. 4.1 Air Quality and Climate Change Construction of new facilities would generate emissions from construction equipment exhaust, earth movement, construction workers commute, and material hauling. These emissions could adversely affect regional air quality. The EIR will estimate daily exhaust and fugitive emissions to assess the potential short- and long-term air quality impacts. The EIR will identify sensitive receptors within the project area that could be adversely affected by the project construction. The EIR will assess the potential impacts of the proposed project to air quality and, for potentially significant impacts, identify feasible mitigation measures to reduce the environmental impacts. 4.2 Biological Resources Construction of new facilities could occur in areas that support special-status plant or animal species. The disposal of brine produced by the AWT facility would reduce discharge to the Santa Clara River, which supports special-status species. Increased use of recycled water could also reduce discharge to the river. The EIR will evaluate potential impacts to special-status species and, for potentially significant impacts, identify feasible mitigation measures to reduce the environmental impacts. 4.3 Cultural Resources Construction of new facilities would require excavation that could occur in archaeologically and paleontologically sensitive areas. The EIR will evaluate the potential impacts of the proposed project on archaeological and paleontological resources. For potentially significant impacts, the EIR will identify feasible mitigation measures to reduce the environmental impacts. 4.4 Energy Operation of the project would require additional electrical power. The EIR will evaluate the project s potential impacts on energy consumption and, for potentially significant impacts, identify feasible mitigation measures to reduce the environmental impacts. 4.5 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Construction and operation of the project would generate greenhouse gas emissions. The EIR will evaluate the project s potential impacts on greenhouse gas emissions and, for potentially significant impacts, identify feasible mitigation measures to reduce the environmental impacts. 4.6 Hydrology and Water Quality Construction activities would include at least one pipeline river crossing, which may involve drilling through a water-bearing zone that could impact water quality. Operation of the project would result in reduced discharge to the river that could impact river hydrology (flow or configuration). The EIR will 7

8 evaluate the project s potential impacts on hydrology and water quality, and, for potentially significant impacts, identify feasible mitigation measures to reduce the environmental impacts. 4.7 Land Use Construction of deep well injection facilities offsite may conflict with local land use ordinances. The EIR will identify potential conflicts with land use plans, policies, and regulations and, for potentially significant impacts, identify feasible mitigation measures to reduce the environmental impacts. 4.8 Noise Construction activities would generate short-term noise and vibration that could affect nearby sensitive receptors. Operation of the project would generate noise that could impact nearby sensitive land uses. The EIR will identify sensitive receptors and land uses near the proposed facilities and evaluate noise impacts associated with the project. For potentially significant impacts, the EIR will identify feasible mitigation measures to reduce the environmental impacts. 4.9 Transportation and Traffic Construction activities could temporarily impact vehicular and pedestrian traffic. Pipeline construction may require a temporary loss of roadway lanes. The EIR will identify the potential impacts of the proposed project on traffic. For potentially significant impacts, the EIR will identify feasible mitigation measures to reduce the environmental impacts. 8