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<br /> <br />Red Morton Community Park Sports Lighting Initial Study <br />City of Redwood City 30 June 2015 <br /> <br />4.3.2 Environmental Checklist and Discussion of Impacts <br /> <br /> <br />Potentially <br />Significant <br />Impact <br />Less Than <br />Significant <br />With <br />Mitigation <br />Incorporated <br />Less Than <br />Significant <br />Impact <br />No Impact Checklist <br />Source(s) <br />Would the project: <br />1. Conflict with or obstruct implementation of <br />the applicable air quality plan? <br /> 1,5 <br />2. Violate any air quality standard or contribute <br />substantially to an existing or projected air <br />quality violation? <br /> 1,5,6 <br />3. Result in a cumulatively considerable net <br />increase of any criteria pollutant for which the <br />project region is classified as non-attainment <br />under an applicable federal or state ambient <br />air quality standard including releasing <br />emissions which exceed quantitative <br />thresholds for ozone precursors? <br /> 1,5 <br />4. Expose sensitive receptors to substantial <br />pollutant concentrations? <br /> 1 <br />5. Create objectionable odors affecting a <br />substantial number of people? <br /> 1,6 <br /> <br />4.3.2.1 CEQA Thresholds <br /> <br />As discussed in CEQA Guidelines Section 15064(b), the determination of whether a project may <br />have a significant effect on the environment calls for careful judgment on the part of the lead agency <br />and must be based to the extent possible on scientific and factual data. The City of Redwood City, <br />and other jurisdictions in the San Francisco Bay Area Air Basin, often utilize the thresholds and <br />methodology for assessing air emissions and/or health effects adopted by BAAQMD based upon the <br />scientific and other factual data prepared by BAAQMD in developing those thresholds. <br /> <br />Thresholds prepared and adopted by BAAQMD in May 2011 were the subject of a lawsuit by the <br />California Building Industry Association (BIA)7 and a subsequent appeal by BAAQMD.8 The <br />Appellate Court decision on August 13, 2013 upheld the thresholds as valid. The Appellate Court’s <br />decision was subsequently appealed to the California Supreme Court, which granted limited review <br />and before whom the matter is still pending as of January 2015. <br /> <br />The determination of whether a project may have a significant effect on the environment is subject to <br />the discretion of each lead agency, based upon substantial evidence. The issues in the California <br />Building Industry Association v. BAAQMD lawsuit are not relevant to the scientific basis of <br /> <br />7 California Building Industry Association v. Bay Area Air Quality Management District , Alameda County Superior <br />Court Case No. RG10548693) <br />8 California Building Industry Association v. Bay Area Air Quality Management District, Cal. Ct. App. 1st, Case <br />No. A135335, August 13, 2013. The Appellate Court ruled that the BAAQMD CEQA thresholds were adopted <br />using a valid public review process and were supported by substantial evidence. <br />8.A. - Page 47