4.11.C-1. P:\CCY1101\Draft SEIR\4.11.C Solid Waste.doc (03/07/13) SUBSEQUENT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT CENTURY CITY CENTER

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1 CITY OF LOS ANGELES SUBSEQUENT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT 4.11.C SOLID WASTE This section evaluates the potential impacts of the proposed Modified Project on solid waste facilities currently serving the Project site. This analysis projects the amount of solid waste that would be generated by the proposed Modified Project, using City of Los Angeles (City) generation rates for commercial development, and assesses whether existing solid waste disposal facilities serving the proposed Modified Project site have current and future capacity to accommodate the proposed Modified Project s projected solid waste production as compared to the Approved Project as well as to existing conditions. While this Subsequent EIR is only required to analyze changes in environmental impacts of the proposed Modified Project as compared to the Approved Project, for purposes of providing additional information for decision makers and the public, this section also analyzes the potential impacts of the proposed Modified Project as compared to existing conditions. Scoping Process During the Initial Study (Appendix A of this Subsequent Environmental Impact Report [EIR]) process, it was determined that during construction and operation the proposed Modified Project would comply with all applicable City, County of Los Angeles, and State of California solid waste diversion, reduction, and recycling requirements and regulations, including compliance with the City s Source Reduction and Recycling Element (SRRE) and its update, the City of Los Angeles Solid Waste Management Policy Plan (CiSWMPP), and the Los Angeles Municipal Code, which requires adequate areas for collection and loading of recyclable materials in all new development projects (Chapter 9, Article 9, Division 5, Section ) (refer to Compliance Measure SW-1). Compliance with these existing regulations would assist in reducing the amount of solid waste deposited in Los Angeles County landfills. Therefore, the Initial Study concluded that impacts related to compliance with applicable solid waste disposal regulations would be less than significant, and the modifications proposed by the proposed Modified Project would not change the conclusions of the 2006 EIR with respect to that impact. Therefore, this topic will not be analyzed further in this Subsequent EIR. The Initial Study also determined that solid waste generated during construction (e.g., limited amounts of asphalt removed from existing parking areas) would be disposed of at any of the landfills in the region that accept demolition/construction waste. Given the limited quantities of asphalt, no new construction waste facilities would be required as a result of construction of the proposed Modified Project. In addition, the proposed Modified Project would divert/recycle a minimum of 70 percent of the solid waste generated during construction (refer to Compliance Measure SW-2). Therefore, the Initial Study concluded that potential impacts related to the generation of solid waste during construction would be less than significant, and the modifications proposed by the proposed Modified Project would not change the conclusions of the 2006 EIR with respect to that impact. Therefore, this topic will not be analyzed further in this Subsequent EIR. During the Initial Study process, it was determined that the proposed Modified Project could have potential impacts related to solid waste disposal capacity during proposed Modified Project operations, and thus the Subsequent EIR should analyze impacts related to the generation of solid 4.11.C-1

2 SUBSEQUENT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT CITY OF LOS ANGELES waste and the ability of the landfills to serve the proposed Modified Project. One comment was received during the public scoping process concerning the proposed Modified Project s impact on solid waste disposal facilities. The Westwood South of Santa Monica Boulevard Homeowner s Association requested that the proposed Modified Project include a commitment and plan to recycle and reuse construction materials whenever possible C.1 Regulatory Setting State Policies and Regulations. The California Integrated Waste Management Act of 1989 (also known as Assembly Bill 939) was enacted to reduce, recycle, and reuse solid waste generated in the State to the maximum extent feasible. Specifically, the California Integrated Waste Management Act required city and county jurisdictions to identify an implementation schedule to divert 50 percent of the total waste stream from landfill disposal by the year The California Integrated Waste Management Act also requires each city and county to promote source reduction, recycling, and safe disposal or transformation. Cities and counties are required to maintain the 50 percent diversion specified by the California Integrated Waste Management Act past the year The Solid Waste Disposal Measurement Act (also known as Assembly Bill 1016) maintained the 50 percent diversion requirement from the California Integrated Waste Management Act, but changed to a disposal-based measurement system, expressed as the 50 percent Equivalent Per Capita Disposal Target. This builds upon the California Integrated Waste Management Act by implementing a simplified and more timely indicator of a jurisdiction s performance that focuses on reported disposal at California Integrated Waste Management Board-permitted disposal facilities (as of January 1, 2010, the California Integrated Waste Management Board was eliminated and its programs and responsibilities are now part of the California Department of Resources Recycling, and Recovery [CalRecycle]). 1 More specifically, the Solid Waste Disposal Measurement Act changes to a disposal-based indicator: the per-capita disposal rate. CalRecycle has calculated each jurisdiction s 50 percent equivalent per-capita disposal target (the diversion goal required under the California Integrated Waste Management Act). The 50 percent equivalent per-capita disposal target is the amount of disposal a jurisdiction would have had during the base period if it had been exactly at a 50 percent diversion rate. It is calculated using the average of per capita solid waste generation for each jurisdiction. It then divides this generation average in half to determine the 50 percent equivalent per-capita disposal target. Under the new measurement system, to meet the 50 percent target, a jurisdiction needs to dispose of an amount of solid waste annually that is equal to or less than its 50 percent equivalent per-capita disposal target. The new per-capita disposal rate approach is not determinative of a jurisdiction s compliance in implementing its Integrated Waste Management Plan. CalRecycle will use percapita disposal as an indicator in evaluating program implementation and local jurisdiction performance. CalRecycle s evaluation will be focused on how jurisdictions are implementing their programs. The new per-capita disposal measurement system (SB 1016, Wiggins, Chapter 343, Statutes of 2008) became effective on January 1, Los Angeles County Solid Waste Management Committee/Integrated Waste Management Task Force. Inside Solid Waste. Winter Available at: isw_2010_01.pdf, last accessed February C-2

3 CITY OF LOS ANGELES SUBSEQUENT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT The City of Los Angeles surpassed the State-mandated 50 percent diversion rate for 2000 and achieved a 58.8 percent diversion rate. 2 The City achieved a 62 percent diversion rate in 2002, the last year for which CalRecycle has approved data. 3 According to the City, it achieved a diversion rate of 65 percent as of June The California Integrated Waste Management Act further requires each city to conduct a Solid Waste Generation Study and to prepare a Source Reduction and Recycling Element (SRRE) to describe how it would reach the goals. The Source Reduction and Recycling Element contains programs and policies for fulfillment of the goals of the California Integrated Waste Management Act, including the above-noted diversion goals, and must be updated annually to account for changing market and infrastructure conditions. As projects and programs are implemented, the characteristics of the waste stream, the capacities of the current solid waste disposal facilities, and the operational status of those facilities are upgraded, as appropriate. California cities and counties are required to submit annual reports to CalRecycle to update it on their progress toward the California Integrated Waste Management Act goals (i.e., source reduction, recycling and composting, and environmentally safe land disposal). 5 Mandatory commercial recycling was one of the measures adopted in the Assembly Bill 32 Scoping Plan by the Air Resources Board (ARB) pursuant to the California Global Warming Solutions Act (Chapter 488, Statutes of 2006). This mandatory commercial recycling measure focuses on increased commercial waste diversion as a method to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and is designed to achieve a Statewide reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of five million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents. To achieve the measure s objective, an additional two to three million tons of materials annually will need to be recycled from the commercial sector by the year 2020 and beyond. At its monthly public meeting on January 17, 2012, CalRecycle adopted a mandatory commercial recycling regulation containing the statutory provisions of Assembly Bill (AB) 341 (Chapter 476, Statutes of 2011 [Chesbro, AB 341]) and procedural clarifications. The regulation was approved by the Office of Administrative Law on May 7, 2012 and became effective immediately. On June 27, 2012 the Governor signed Senate Bill 1018 which included an amendment that requires a business that generates four cubic yards or more of commercial solid waste per week to arrange for recycling services. 6 With the passage of AB 341, businesses and public entities that generate four cubic yards or more of waste per week and multifamily units of five or more are required to recycle on or after July 1, The purposes of AB 341 include: reducing greenhouse gas emissions by diverting commercial solid waste from landfills and expanding opportunities for recycling in California; reducing methane emissions at landfills from the decomposition of organic materials; and City of Los Angeles, Assembly Bill (AB) Report, August 2001, page ES-1. CalRecycle. Jurisdiction Diversion/Disposal Rate Summary for Los Angeles. August City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works, Bureau of Sanitation. Solid Resources: Recycling Information. Available at: Accessed August 25, CalRecycle, State Agency Laws and Regulations, available at: StateAgency/Requirements/LawsRegs.htm, last accessed August 25, CalRecycle, Mandatory Commercial Recycling, available at: Recycling/default.htm#Background, last accessed October 1, C-3

4 SUBSEQUENT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT CITY OF LOS ANGELES meeting the statewide goal of 75 percent solid waste diversion by Under AB 341, businesses shall take one or any combination of the following actions in order to reuse, recycle, compost, or otherwise divert commercial solid waste from disposal: self-haul; subscribe to a hauler(s); arrange for pickup of recyclables; subscribe to a recycling service that may include mixed-waste processing that yields diversion results comparable to source separation. AB 341 also requires jurisdictions to implement a Mandatory Commercial Recycling Program commencing July 1, 2012, and report their progress starting August 1, Each jurisdiction is required to implement a mandatory commercial recycling program that consists of education and outreach, and monitoring of businesses, that is appropriate for that jurisdiction and is designed to divert commercial solid waste from businesses, whether or not the jurisdiction has met the mandatory 50 percent waste diversion requirements of AB 939. Each jurisdiction is then required to report the progress achieved in implementing its commercial recycling program, including education, outreach and monitoring, and if applicable, enforcement efforts and exemptions, by providing updates in its annual AB 939 compliance report to CalRecycle. 8 Local Policies and Regulations. To date, implementation of the California Integrated Waste Management Act has proven to be a successful method of reducing landfill waste in the City. In addition, the City of Los Angeles has adopted several plans and policies aimed at reducing the City s waste disposal needs. The City of Los Angeles Solid Waste Management Policy Plan (CiSWMPP) provides additional goals, objectives, and policies for solid waste management in the City. The Framework Element of the City of Los Angeles General Plan also supports the goals of the California Integrated Waste Management Act by encouraging an integrated solid waste management system that maximizes source reduction and materials recovery and minimizes the amount of waste requiring disposal. 9 In its efforts to reach the California Integrated Waste Management Act goals and conform to the Framework Element, the Bureau of Sanitation prepared the Solid Resources Infrastructure Strategy Facilities Plan in 2000 with the specific objectives to develop transfer facilities and/or recycling centers; relocate the East Valley Collection Yard and develop a new East Valley collection yard facility; develop permanent yearround Hazardous Household Waste (HHW) drop-off facilities for City residents; continue to pursue development of yard trimmings processing, mulching, and shipping facilities; and continue to research and develop the use of Material Recovery Facilities to preprocess all residual waste prior to delivery to a disposal site. 10 The City of Los Angeles Solid Waste Management Policy Plan also seeks to establish a capital improvement expenditure program to upgrade all collection yard facilities to meet current City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works, Bureau of Sanitation. Mandatory Commercial Recycling Law, Assembly Bill 341, AB341.htm, last accessed October 1, CalRecycle, Mandatory Commercial Recycling, available at: Recycling/default.htm#Background, last accessed October 1, City of Los Angeles General Plan Framework. Chapter 9, Infrastructure and Public Services, available at: last accessed August 26, City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works, Solid Resource Infrastructure Strategy Facilities Plan, last accessed August 26, C-4

5 CITY OF LOS ANGELES SUBSEQUENT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT environmental, health, and safety standards with assistance from the Office of Administrative and Research Services; perform closure construction at all six inactive City-owned landfill sites; acquire minimal long-term disposal capacity; identify methods of receiving Citywide public review of plans and actions in the Solid Waste Management Policy Plan; and develop a comprehensive and continual Public Education and Community Outreach program designed to educate and inform the public. 11 In February 2006, the Los Angeles City Council adopted RENEW LA, a 20-year plan to permanently alter waste disposal in the City. The primary goal of the plan is to shift from waste disposal to resource recovery, resulting in zero waste and an overall diversion level of 90 percent by The blueprint of the plan lays out a course of action to achieve this goal by building on the key elements of existing reduction and recycling programs and infrastructure and combines them with new systems and conversion technologies to achieve an unparalleled level of resource recovery without combustion in the form of traditional recyclables, soil amendments, and renewable fuels, chemicals, and energy. The plan also calls for massive reductions in the quantity and environmental impacts of residue material disposed in landfills. 12 In early 2007, following the adoption of RENEW LA, the City unveiled GREEN LA, an Action Plan to make the City of Los Angeles the greenest city in the nation and the national leader in the fight against global warming. The 50+ initiatives of the plan include diverting 70 percent of the City s waste by In August 2008, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced the acceleration of that goal to 75 percent diversion by To meet the new challenge by 2013, the Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation initiated several new programs, including construction and demolition recycling requirements that would be applicable to the proposed Modified Project. 14 It should be noted that the Citywide Construction and Demolition (C&D) Waste Recycling Ordinance (Section of the Los Angeles Municipal Code) approved by the Los Angeles City Council in December 2010 specifies a diversion goal of 70 percent by In 2008 Mayor Villaraigosa also began the Solid Waste Integrated Resources Plan (SWIRP) process with over 150 stakeholder interviews with community groups, businesses and business organizations, environmental organizations, unions, private sector haulers, facility operators, recyclers, and government partners. The Solid Waste Integrated Resources Plan will become the City s 20-year master plan to achieve zero waste in Los Angeles. On May 3, 2008, after a year of intense outreach and stakeholder feedback, City stakeholders agreed upon the following 12 Guiding Principles that will help the City achieve Zero Waste by 2030: (1) protect public health and the environment; (2) city leadership as a model for zero waste practices; (3) manufacturer responsibility; (4) incentives; (5) City leadership to increase recycling; (6) convenience; (7) economic efficiency; (8) education and outreach to decrease wasteful City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works, Solid Resource Infrastructure Strategy Facilities Plan, last accessed August 26, City of Los Angeles Council District 12, Renew LA Plan, website: cd12/cd12rl1.htm, accessed August 26, City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works Bureau of Sanitation. Fact Sheet: The City s Solid Waste Policies and Programs, Counting Down To Zero Waste Plan: A Solid Waste Integrated Resources Plan (SWIRP). March Ibid C-5

6 SUBSEQUENT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT CITY OF LOS ANGELES consumption; (9) new, safe technology; (10) equity; (11) education and outreach to increase recycling; and (12) consumer responsibility. 15 The Draft EIR for the Solid Waste Integrated Resources Plan was scheduled to be released for public review in the spring of 2012, but as of February 2013, the Draft EIR is not yet available. 16 In November 2008, the California Building Standards Commission established the California Green Building Standard Code (CALGreen), which sets performance standards for residential and nonresidential development to reduce environmental impacts and encourage sustainable construction practices. When the CALGreen code went into effect in 2009, compliance through 2010 was voluntary. As of January 1, 2011, the CALGreen code is mandatory for all new building construction in the State. The CALGreen code addresses energy efficiency, water conservation, material conservation, planning and design, and overall environmental quality. In December 2010, the Los Angeles City Council adopted various provisions of the CALGreen code as part of Ordinance No. 181,480, thus codifying certain provisions of the CALGreen code as the new Los Angeles Green Code (LA Green Code). The LA Green Code imposes more stringent green building requirements than those contained within the CALGreen code, and is applicable to the construction of every new building, every new building alteration with a permit valuation of over $200,000, and every building addition unless otherwise noted. Specific mandatory requirements and elective measures are provided for three categories: (1) low-rise residential buildings; (2) nonresidential and high-rise residential buildings; and (3) additions and alterations to nonresidential and high-rise residential buildings. The proposed Modified Project would need to incorporate the following mandatory measures for nonresidential and high-rise residential buildings related to solid waste: Construction Construction waste reduction of at least 50 percent of construction debris; and Construction 100 percent of trees, stumps, rocks and associated vegetation and soils resulting primarily from land clearing shall be reused or recycled C.2 Certified EIR Findings At the time the Initial Study for the Approved Project was prepared, it was noted that approximately 5,200 tons of solid waste were being generated by residential and commercial uses in the City of Los Angeles on a daily basis. Various public agencies and private companies provide solid waste management services to the City of Los Angeles. The City of Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation collects the majority of residential waste from single-family and some smaller multifamily residences. Private collectors service most multifamily projects and commercial developments in the City. As the Approved Project would have been a high-density residential development, solid waste generated on site would have been collected and transported by a private contractor. Project site-generated solid waste would have been disposed of at one of 12 major Class III landfills located within Los Angeles County. Class III landfills accept all types of nonhazardous solid waste City of Los Angeles Sanitation Department of Public Works Counting Down to Zero Waste Plan, September Available at: last accessed September 17, City of Los Angeles Sanitation Department of Public Works Counting Down to Zero Waste Plan, September Available at: last accessed September 17, C-6

7 CITY OF LOS ANGELES SUBSEQUENT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT During the construction phase of the Approved Project, the structures on the Project site at that time would have been demolished prior to grading the Project site. Materials generated during the demolition process would have been reused and/or recycled to the extent feasible. Materials that would have been recycled or salvaged included asphalt, glass, concrete, steel, doors, and bathroom fixtures. Based on the limited amount of existing development on the Project site at the time the Approved Project was being considered and the ability to reuse and/or recycle some of the materials from the structures being demolished, the Initial Study for the Approved Project found that solid waste that would have been generated during the demolition/construction phase of the Approved Project would have been accommodated by existing landfills in Los Angeles County. Therefore, it was determined that the Approved Project s construction activities would not have had the potential to cause significant impacts related to solid waste generation during demolition/construction, and no mitigation measures were necessary. Therefore, no further analysis of the Approved Project s solid waste generation and disposal needs from demolition/ construction activities was required as part of the 2006 EIR. The Approved Project would have developed 483 new housing units. Based on the solid waste generation factor provided in the City of Los Angeles CEQA Threshold Guide of pounds per household per day for residential projects, 17 the Initial Study for the Approved Project found that the Approved Project s 483 dwelling units would have generated an estimated 5,907 pounds of solid waste per day. Taking into account the existing commercial and restaurant/night club uses on the Project site at that time, the Project would have resulted in a net increase in solid waste generation of 4,583 pounds of solid waste per day. This represented approximately 0.04 percent of the daily solid waste generated in the City of Los Angeles, a small fraction of the waste generated in the City. In addition, the waste generation factors utilized did not account for recycling or other waste diversion measures. As such, the estimated solid waste generated by the Approved Project would have been less than what was forecasted in the Initial Study for the Approved Project. Regardless, the Initial Study for the Approved Project found that solid waste that would have been generated by the Approved Project would have been accommodated by existing landfills in Los Angeles County. Therefore, within the context of the Initial Study for the Approved Project, the City determined that the solid waste generated by the Approved Project could be served by existing landfills in Los Angeles County, the Approved Project would not have the potential to cause significant impacts related to solid waste, and no mitigation measures were necessary. Therefore, no further analysis of the Approved Project s solid waste generation and disposal needs was required as part of the 2006 EIR. In addition to determining whether or not the existing landfills in Los Angeles County had sufficient capacity to accommodate the Approved Project s solid waste disposal needs, the Initial Study also concluded that the Approved Project would comply with federal, State, and local statutes and regulations related to solid waste. Solid waste management is guided by the California Integrated Waste Management Act, which emphasizes resource conservation through reduction, recycling, and reuse of solid waste. The California Integrated Waste Management Act requires that localities conduct a Solid Waste Generation Study and develop a Source Reduction Recycling Element. In addition, as described in Section 4.11.C.1, the City Council adopted a Solid Waste Management Policy Plan (CiSWMPP) which provides additional goals, objectives, and policies for solid waste management in the City that go beyond the requirements of the 17 Los Angeles CEQA Thresholds Guide (2006), p. M C-7

8 SUBSEQUENT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT CITY OF LOS ANGELES California Integrated Waste Management Act. Furthermore, in compliance with the California Solid Waste Reuse and Recycling Act of 1991, the Los Angeles Municipal Code requires development projects to provide adequate storage areas for collection and removal of recyclable materials. The Initial Study concluded that the Approved Project would comply with the City s Solid Waste Management Policy Plan, Framework Element of the General Plan, and all applicable federal and State regulations related to solid waste. Furthermore, recycling collection facilities for residents were to be included as part of the Approved Project. Therefore, since it was determined that the Approved Project would comply with federal, State, and local statutes and regulations related to solid waste regulations, the City determined that no further analysis of the Approved Project s compliance with solid waste regulations was required as part of the 2006 EIR C.3 Existing Environmental Setting When the Approved Project was evaluated under the 2006 EIR, a portion of the property in the southern and western portions of the site was developed with approximately 35,000 square feet of commercial uses. After certification of the 2006 EIR and approval of the Approved Project, the existing buildings were demolished. The Project site currently consists of disturbed land, asphalt, surface parking lots, and various remnant structures such as walls and foundations from the prior uses on the Project site. In the existing condition, there are no waste-generating uses on the Project site. Within the City of Los Angeles, solid waste management, including collection and disposal services and landfill operation, is administered by various public agencies and private companies. Single-family residential and limited multifamily residential refuse is collected by the Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation. Waste generated by most multifamily residential sources and all commercial and industrial sources is collected by private contractors. Construction waste is also collected by private contractors. Waste disposal sites, or landfills that would potentially serve the Project site, are operated by the City and County of Los Angeles as well as by private companies. In addition, transfer stations are utilized to temporarily store debris until larger haul trucks are available to transport the materials directly to the landfills. Landfill availability is constrained by several factors, including, but not limited to: (1) geographical restrictions that regulate waste disposal by jurisdiction and/or wastershed boundary, (2) tonnage permit limitations, (3) types of waste (e.g., hazardous vs. household waste), and (4) operational constraints (e.g., daily tonnage limits regulated by the State). The City of Los Angeles is primarily serviced by the Sunshine Canyon Landfill and the Chiquita Canyon Landfill; more than 83 percent of the solid waste generated in the City is disposed of at these two landfills. 18 Both landfills accept residential, commercial, and construction waste. There are other solid waste and recycling transfer station facilities in Los Angeles County, such as the Lancaster Landfill, Community Recycling and Transfer in Sun Valley, and the Santa Monica Recycling and Transfer Station. 18 County of Los Angeles Department of Public Works, Los Angeles County Countywide Integrated Waste Management Plan 2011 Annual Report, August 2012, pp C-8

9 CITY OF LOS ANGELES SUBSEQUENT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT Solid waste collection from commercial developments within the City is contracted to private waste haulers, who can dispose of waste at a City-operated landfill or a landfill of their choosing. However, as noted above, a majority of the waste generated in the City is disposed of at the Sunshine Canyon Landfill (both the City and County portions) and the Chiquita Canyon Landfill. As Class III landfills, these two landfills accept all types of nonhazardous solid waste. As of 2011, the year for which the most recent data is available, these two landfills have a combined remaining daily permitted intake of 6,035 tons per day (refer to Table 4.11.C.A). Table 4.11.C.A: Landfill Capacity and Intake Permitted Intake (tons/day) Currently Accepts (tons/day) Available Intake (tons/day) Remaining Life Landfill Facility (years) Sunshine Canyon 25 12,100 7,801 4,299 Chiquita Canyon 4 6,000 4,264 1,736 Remaining Intake 6,035 Source: County of Los Angeles Department of Public Works, 2011 Annual Report, August Landfills. Sunshine Canyon Landfill. Sunshine Canyon City/County Landfill is located on land that is located in both the City and the County of Los Angeles and is owned and operated by Browning-Ferris Industries, which purchased the landfill from the City in In 1991, the operating permit for the landfill expired and operations ceased. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors issued a Conditional Use Permit in 1993 to allow the continued operation at the Sunshine Canyon County Landfill, which consisted of operations only on the portion of the landfill site located in the County. In 1999, the Los Angeles City Council issued a land use permit allowing for the continued use of the Sunshine Canyon City Landfill, which consisted of operations on the portion of the landfill site located in the City. 19 On December 31, 2008, operations in the Sunshine Canyon County Landfill and the Sunshine Canyon City Landfill were combined to become what is now known as the Sunshine Canyon City/County Landfill. 20 As of 2011, the Sunshine Canyon City/County Landfill had approximately 82,389,030 tons (97,986,788 cubic yards) of remaining capacity, a maximum permitted daily intake of 12,100 tons per day, and an average daily intake of 7,801 tons per day. 21 Therefore, the Sunshine Canyon City/County Landfill has the capacity to accept an additional 4,299 tons of waste per day (refer to Table 4.11.C.A). Chiquita Canyon Landfill. The Chiquita Canyon Landfill is located in the County of Los Angeles in the Santa Clarita Valley near Val Verde, approximately 3 miles west of County of Los Angeles Department of Public Works, Los Angeles County Countywide Integrated Waste Management Plan 2011 Annual Report, August 2012, pp , last accessed October 1, Ibid, p. 15. Ibid, p C-9

10 SUBSEQUENT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT CITY OF LOS ANGELES Interstate 5 on State Route 126. The Chiquita Canyon Landfill was previously operated by Republic Services, Inc. In October 2004, Republic Services submitted an application for a new Conditional Use Permit which would expand the disposal area by 98 acres and allow a horizontal and vertical expansion of approximately 23,872,000 tons (32 million cubic yards). Under the proposed expansion, the weekly disposal capacity at the Landfill would remain at 6,000 tons per day or 30,000 tons per week. On December 5, 2008, Republic Services merged with Allied Waste Industries, Inc. As a condition of the merger, Republic Services must divest the Chiquita Canyon Landfill. Republic Services and Waste Connections signed a definitive agreement, providing for the sale of the Chiquita Canyon Landfill to Waste Connections, Inc. on February 6, In 2011, Waste Connections, Inc. re-submitted an application to request an expansion of the waste footprint and an increase in the allowable daily tonnage. The County Department of Regional Planning prepared a Notice of Preparation and circulated it for public comments from November 28, 2011 to February 13, As of 2011, without the proposed expansion, the landfill has a remaining permitted capacity of approximately 4,900,000 tons (6,600,000 cubic yards), a permitted maximum daily intake of 6,000 tons per day, and an average daily intake of 4,264 tons per day. 23 Therefore, Chiquita Canyon Landfill has the capacity to accept an additional 1,736 tons per day (refer to Table 4.11.C.A). As discussed above, the maximum daily capacity would not change with approval of the proposed expansion, but the remaining permitted capacity would increase by 23,872,000 tons. The Conditional Use Permit (Permit No.: [5]) for the landfill will expire in 2019 and without approval of the proposed expansion and the new Conditional Use Permit, it is estimated that the landfill has approximately four years of permitted life remaining assuming acceptance of 4,264 tons of waste per day, 312 days per year. Recycling Facilities. Waste generated in the City also may be diverted from landfills and recycled. The City s Bureau of Sanitation Solid Resources Citywide Recycling Division (SRCRD) develops and implements source reduction, recycling, and composting programs in the City. 24 The Sanitation Solid Resources Citywide Recycling Division provides technical assistance to public and private recyclers, oversees the City s recycling program, manages the Household Hazardous Waste program, and helps create markets for recycled materials. 25 In order to provide more information to the public and private sectors regarding construction waste diversion, the Sanitation Solid Resources Citywide Recycling Division publishes the Construction and Demolition Recycling Guide, which is a directory of recyclers and certified mixed-debris processors that serve the Los Angeles region. 26 The Construction and Demolition Recycling Guide provides listings by materials accepted at the respective facilities so that developers and County of Los Angeles Department of Public Works, Los Angeles County Countywide Integrated Waste Management Plan 2011 Annual Report, August 2012, pp , last accessed October 1, Ibid, p. 51. County of Los Angeles Department of Public Works, Bureau of Sanitation, Construction and Demolition Recycling Guide, August 2007, title page. Available at: solid_resources/pdfs/c&d_guide.pdf, last accessed August 30, Ibid, Title Page. Ibid, p C-10

11 CITY OF LOS ANGELES SUBSEQUENT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT contractors can tailor their recycling choices to suit their project needs. CalRecycle provides additional facility details for recycling companies in the County. 27 While the final choice in recycling facilities rests with the Applicant, the nearest recycling facility in the vicinity of the Project site that could be utilized is the Santa Monica Recycling and Transfer Station. This facility is located approximately four miles to the southwest of the Project site, at 2401 Delaware Avenue in the City of Santa Monica. The Santa Monica Recycling and Transfer Station accepts construction and demolition debris, green waste, metals, plastics, asphalt, concrete, brick, and soil C.4 Methodology Since the Applicant is modifying the project approvals for a previously Approved Project, per State CEQA Guidelines (Section 15163(b)), the Subsequent EIR is only required to examine the changes in potential environmental impacts between the Approved Project and the proposed Modified Project. However, to provide additional information for decision-makers and the public, this section also includes analysis of the potential impacts to solid waste facilities from development of the proposed Modified Project when compared to existing conditions. The environmental impacts of the proposed Modified Project with respect to solid waste are based on projecting the amount of solid waste that would be generated by the proposed Modified Project and measuring that against the capacity of existing and proposed solid waste infrastructure. The analysis that follows discloses the current and future capacity of the existing landfills, the total tonnage of solid waste the landfills receive daily and are projected to receive into the future, and the remaining capacity of the landfills serving the Project site to accept additional solid waste, including solid waste generated by the proposed Modified Project. The solid waste assessment also includes a discussion of recycling programs and design features that would be implemented as part of the proposed Modified Project C.5 Impact Significance Criteria The thresholds for solid waste impacts used in this analysis are consistent with Appendix G of the State CEQA Guidelines and the Los Angeles CEQA Thresholds Guide. The determination of significance shall be made on a case-by-case basis, considering the following factors: Amount of projected waste generation, diversion, and disposal during demolition, construction, and operation of the project, considering proposed design and operational features that could reduce typical waste generation rates; Need for an additional solid waste collection route, or recycling or disposal facility to adequately handle project-generated waste; and Whether the project conflicts with solid waste policies and objectives in the Source Reduction and Recycling Element (SRRE) or its updates, the City of Los Angeles Solid Waste Construction and Demolition Debris Recycling Facilities in Los Angeles County. Available at: last accessed August 30, Ibid C-11

12 SUBSEQUENT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT CITY OF LOS ANGELES Management Policy Plan (CiSWMPP), Framework Element or the Curbside Recycling Program, including consideration of the land use-specific waste diversion goals contained in Volume 4 of the SRRE. The Initial Study, included as Appendix A, substantiates the fact that impacts associated with compliance with federal, State, and local statutes and regulations related to solid waste would be less than significant, and the modifications proposed by the proposed Modified Project would not change the conclusions of the 2006 EIR with respect to these impacts. Therefore, this topic will not be addressed in the following analysis. The Initial Study, included as Appendix A, also substantiates the fact that impacts associated with solid waste generation during construction would be less than significant, and the modifications proposed by the proposed Modified Project would not change the conclusions of the 2006 EIR with respect to these impacts. Nevertheless, because of the importance of reducing solid waste generation during construction regardless of the level of impacts, the proposed Modified Project s commitment to reducing, reusing, and recycling construction related waste to the greatest extent practicable is described in Compliance Measure SW-2 below C.6 Proposed Modified Project Design Features and Compliance Measures There are no Project Design Features that are applicable to solid waste. The following Compliance Measures are included in the proposed Modified Project and are considered in the analysis of potential impacts related to solid waste. The City of Los Angeles considers these requirements to be mandatory; therefore, they are not mitigation measures or voluntary Project Design Features. Compliance Measure SW-1 Compliance Measure SW-2 Designated Recycling Area. In compliance with Los Angeles Municipal Code, the proposed Modified Project shall provide readily accessible areas that serve the entire building and are identified for the depositing, storage, and collection of nonhazardous materials for recycling, including (at a minimum) paper, corrugated cardboard, glass, plastics, and metals. Construction Waste Recycling. In order to meet the diversion goals of the California Integrated Waste Management Act and the City of Los Angeles, which will total 70 percent by 2013, the Applicant shall salvage and recycle construction and demolition materials to ensure that a minimum of 70 percent of constructionrelated solid waste that can be recycled is diverted from the waste stream to be landfilled. Solid waste diversion would be accomplished though the on-site separation of materials and/or by contracting with a solid waste disposal facility that can guarantee a minimum diversion rate of 70 percent. In compliance with the Los Angeles Municipal Code, the General Contractor shall utilize solid waste haulers, contractors, and recyclers who have 4.11.C-12

13 CITY OF LOS ANGELES SUBSEQUENT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT obtained an Assembly Bill (AB) 939 Compliance Permit from the City of Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation C.7 Proposed Modified Project Compared to Approved Project Impact Analysis The Applicant proposes to modify a project previously approved by the City of Los Angeles in 2006 that permitted the development of approximately 483 residential condominiums in two 47-story towers and one 12-story building for a total of approximately 1.3 million square feet at the corner of Avenue of the Stars and Constellation Boulevard in Century City. At the time the Approved Project was approved by the City, the Project site was occupied by a restaurant/nightclub and a drive-through banking facility and associated offices. After the Approved Project was approved in 2006, most of the previously existing structures on the Project site were demolished. The Applicant proposes to modify the Approved Project to allow for the construction and operation of a 37-story, 700,000-square-foot office building, approximately 25,830 square feet of low-rise, one- and two-story office space, an approximately 1,300-square-foot Mobility Hub, a Transit Plaza, approximately 4,120 square feet of ancillary retail, and a partially subterranean parking structure with approximately 1,579 stalls. The proposed Modified Project would represent a decrease of 561,108 square feet as compared to the Approved Project and would not include any residential units/square footage. The Initial Study for the 2006 EIR concluded that the Approved Project would have generated approximately 5,907 pounds (3 tons) of solid waste per day. However, taking into account the commercial and restaurant/nightclub uses that existed on the Project site at the time the 2006 EIR was prepared, the Approved Project would have resulted in a net increase in solid waste generation of 4,538 pounds (2.3 tons) of solid waste per day (refer to Table 4.11.C.B). As stated above, the 2006 EIR concluded that this amount of solid waste represented a small fraction of the daily waste generated in the City of Los Angeles at that time, approximately 0.04 percent. Further, these waste generation factors did not account for the mandatory recycling provisions of AB 341 or other waste diversion measures; however, it was anticipated that aggressive waste reduction and diversion programs countywide would continue to reduce disposal levels. As such, it was determined that the estimated solid waste generation totals for the Approved Project would be less than those forecasted and less than significant. In comparison, the proposed Modified Project would be expected to generate 15,416 pounds (7.7 tons) of solid waste per day, which is 10,878 pounds (5.4 tons) more per day than the Approved Project s net impact or 9,509 pounds (4.8 tons) more than the Approved Project s gross impact (refer to Table 4.11.C.B). This projection is based on a solid waste generation factor of pounds per employee per day for commercial development (refer to the Los Angeles CEQA Thresholds Guide) and a projected increase of 1,464 employees associated with the proposed Modified Project (refer to Section 4.9, Population and Housing). The combined remaining daily intake of Sunshine Canyon and Chiquita Canyon Landfills is 6,035 tons per day. As such, the landfills would have adequate capacity to accommodate the additional 5.4 tons per day of waste generated during operation of the proposed Modified Project as compared to the Approved Project C-13

14 SUBSEQUENT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT CITY OF LOS ANGELES Table 4.11.C.B: Approved Project and Proposed Modified Project Solid Waste Generation Project Approved Project Proposed Modified Project 1 Description/ Land Use Size Employees Residential Condominiums 483 DU Commercial 725,830 sf commercial 4,120 sf ancillary retail 1,300 sf Mobility Hub Difference 1,464 employees Generation Rate lbs/unit/day lbs/employee/ day per day (gross) 5,907 lbs (3 tons) 15,416 lbs (7.7 tons) 9,509 lbs (4.7 tons) per day (net) assuming 50 percent per day diversion (net) (reuse/recycling) 4,538 lbs 2,269 lbs (2.3 tons) 1 (1.1 tons) 15,416 lbs (7.7 tons) 10,878 lbs (5.4 tons) 7,708 lbs (3.9 tons) 5,439 lbs (2.8 tons) The total pounds/tons per day for the Approved Project is the net solid waste generation for the Project site in that it accounts for the 1,369 pounds/0.7 ton of solid waste that was generated by the existing development on the Project site at the time the 2006 EIR was prepared. DU = dwelling units lbs/tons = pounds per tons sf = square feet 4.11.C-14

15 CITY OF LOS ANGELES SUBSEQUENT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT Similar to the analysis in the 2006 EIR, the waste generation factors for the proposed Modified Project do not account for the mandatory recycling provisions of AB 341 or other waste diversion measures; however, it is anticipated that aggressive waste reduction and diversion programs countywide will continue to reduce disposal levels. Assuming that implementation of the mandatory recycling provisions of AB 341 would divert 50 percent of the solid waste anticipated to be generated by the Approved Project and the proposed Modified Project, which is conservative given the City s historical waste diversion rates, 29 the solid waste that would have been generated by the Approved Project would have been reduced to 2,269 pounds (1.1 tons) and 7,708 pounds (3.9 tons) for the proposed Modified Project. Thus, when factoring in a solid waste diversion rate of 50 percent as a result of the mandatory recycling requirements of AB 341, the proposed Modified Project would result in an additional 2.8 tons (0.05 percent of the daily permitted landfill capacity) of solid waste per day as compared to the Approved Project. There is adequate permitted landfill capacity to accommodate the additional 2.8 tons of solid waste that would be generated by the proposed Modified Project as compared to the Approved Project. In summary, there is adequate capacity at Sunshine Canyon and Chiquita Canyon Landfills for the additional solid waste generated by the proposed Modified Project as compared to the Approved Project, and implementation of the proposed Modified Project would not require increased permitted landfill capacity either there or in any other landfill. Accordingly, as compared to the Approved Project, the proposed Modified Project would not involve new significant environmental effects or a substantial increase in the severity of previously identified significant effects related to solid waste capacity. Impacts would remain less than significant, and no mitigation is required C.8 Proposed Modified Project Compared to Existing Conditions Impact Analysis The Project site is currently undeveloped and therefore does not generate any solid waste. As stated above, the proposed Modified Project includes the development and operation of a 37- story, 700,000-square-foot office building, approximately 25,830 square feet of low-rise, one- and two-story office space, an approximately 1,300-square-foot Mobility Hub, a Transit Plaza, approximately 4,120 square feet of ancillary retail, and a partially subterranean parking structure with approximately 1,579 stalls. Operation of the proposed Modified Project would result in ongoing generation of solid waste. The proposed Modified Project would be expected to generate 15,416 pounds (7.7 tons) of solid waste per day as compared to existing conditions (refer to Table 4.11.C.B). This projection is based on a solid waste generation factor of pounds per employee per day for commercial 29 According to CalRecycle, the City achieved solid waste diversion rates of 60 percent in 2000, 63 percent in 2001, and 62 percent in In 2003, the City joined the Los Angeles Area Integrated Waste Management Authority (LAAIWMA), a regional waste management agency. Therefore, diversion rate data for subsequent years is aggregated along with the diversion rates of other LAAIWMA member jurisdictions. In 2006, CalRecycle adopted a new per-capita based formula for determining solid waste disposal rates, and no longer considers diversion rates. CalRecycle, Jurisdiction Diversion/Disposal Rate Summary ( ), City of Los Angeles, last accessed October 2, C-15