HomeMy WebLinkAboutRes - 2016.01 - Certifying the Environmental Impact Report for the Sterling Natural Resource CenterRESOLUTION 2016.01
A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE EAST VALLEY WATER
DISTRICT CERTIFYING THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT FOR THE
STERLING NATURAL RESOURCE CENTER
WHEREAS, the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District(Valley District) is the
lead agency, pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (Public Resources
Code §§ 21000 et seq.) and CEQA Guidelines (14 California Code of Regulations §§ 15000 et
seq.), for the proposed Sterling Natural Resource Center(SNRC) Project; and
WHEREAS, the East Valley Water District (EVWD) is a responsible agency, pursuant
to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (Public Resources Code §§ 21000 et seq.)
and CEQA Guidelines (14 California Code of Regulations §§ 15000 et seq.), for the proposed
SNRC Project; and
WHEREAS, the SNRC Project involves the construction of a wastewater treatment
facility and associated facilities that will provide tertiary treatment of wastewater generated
within the EVWD service area and make the treated water available for beneficial uses within
the Upper Santa Ana River watershed; and
WHEREAS, the SNRC Project includes five project components: construction of the
SNRC Treatment Facility in the City of Highland, construction of a treated water conveyance
system that will convey treated water to one of three groundwater recharge locations,
modifications to wastewater collection facilities, rehabilitation and reuse of the existing Santa
Ana River pipeline, and refurbishment of existing groundwater wells to potentially supply
supplemental water to the Rialto Channel when needed for environmental benefits; and
WHEREAS, in October 2014, as updated in March 2015, EVWD studied the feasibility
of a recycled water project to treat wastewater generated within the EVWD service area; on
April 8, 2015, the EVWD Board of Directors created an ad hoc committee comprised of two
members of the Board of Directors for the purpose of working cooperatively with Valley District
regarding such a recycled water project; on September 23, 2015, the EVWD Board of Directors
approved a Framework Agreement with Valley District, which became effective on October 6,
2015, that outlined the terms of the cooperation between the parties and established Valley
District as the lead agency for the SNRC Project; and
WHEREAS, on October 16, 2015, Valley District issued a Notice of Preparation of an
Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the SNRC Project, which commenced a 30-day scoping
period during which Valley District held public scoping meetings at Valley District on October
29, 2015 and at EVWD on November 5, 2015; and
WHEREAS, on December 17, 2015, Valley District posted a Notice of Availability of
the Draft EIR for the SNRC Project with the County Clerk of San Bernardino County, and made
the Draft EIR available at three physical locations in San Bernardino County and at the SNRC
Project website and to the Board of Directors of EVWD; and
East Valley Water District
Resolution 2016.01
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WHEREAS, during the public comment period for the Draft EIR, which ran from
December 17, 2015 through February 1, 2016, Valley District held public meetings on the Draft
EIR at Valley District on January 14, 2016, at EVWD on January 19, 2016, and thereafter
received comments from approximately 23 organizations, individuals, and public agencies; and
WHEREAS, on March 4, 2016, Valley District released the Final EIR for the Project
SCH #2015101058) which consists of the Draft EIR, the comments on the Draft EIR and the
identity of the commenters, the responses to comments on the Draft EIR, and corrections and
revisions to the Draft EIR, and made it available at three physical locations in San Bernardino
County and at the SNRC Project website and to the Board of Directors of EVWD; and
WHEREAS, the Final EIR identified the significant adverse impacts of the SNRC
Project, feasible mitigation measures to reduce most SNRC Project impacts to less-than-
significant levels; and the SNRC Project impacts that cannot be mitigated to a less-than-
significant level (including construction-related noise, construction-related air emissions,
cumulative air emissions, biological resources, and removal of an obstacle to growth) and
therefore remain significant and unavoidable; and
WHEREAS, the Final EIR identified no new significant information or new significant
impacts requiring recirculation; and
WHEREAS, on March 15, 2016, Valley District approved a Resolution 1038 certifying
the Environmental Impact Report for the Sterling Natural Resource Center Project (SCH
2015101058) and Resolution No. 1039 adopting CEQA Findings of Fact, a Statement of
Overriding Considerations, and a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program for the Sterling
Natural Resource Center Project and approving the Sterling Natural Resource Center Project
SCH#2015101058); and
WHEREAS, EVWD's Board of Directors has reviewed and considered the information
contained in the Final EIR, including without limitation the Draft EIR and all supporting
documents in the possession or under the control of Valley District. All references to the EIR
and FEIR hereafter shall include all documents referred to above.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED AND CERTIFIED by the Board of
Directors of East Valley Water District as follows:
1. The EIR was presented to the East Valley Water District Board of Directors on
March 4, 2016 and considered by the Board of Directors at its regularly scheduled meeting of
March 23, 2016, and has been independently reviewed and considered by the members of the
Board of Directors prior to that meeting and prior to the Board of Directors taking any action to
approve or disapprove the SNRC Project.
2.The EIR's evaluation of the SNRC Project reflects the Board of Directors'
independent judgment and analysis based on the Board of Directors' review of the entirety of the
administrative record, which record provides the information upon which this resolution is based.
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Resolution 2016.01
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3. The EIR for the SNRC Project has been completed in compliance with the
requirements of CEQA and the CEQA Guidelines and is adequate for EVWD's use as a
responsible agency.
PASSED, APPROVED and ADOPTED this 23rd day of March, 2016.
ROLL CALL:
Ayes: Directors: Carrillo, Coats, Morales, Shelton, Smith
Noes: None
Absent: None
Abstain: None
J
Ronald
Board President
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing is a full, true and correct copy of Resolution
2016.01 adopted by the Board of Directors of East Valley Water District at its Regular Meeting
held March 23, 2016.
v 11/1 Udl AjA-,
Jobn J. Mura
Secretary, Board of Jectors
East Valley Water District
Resolution 2016.01
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