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8.B. - Page 50
<br /> 4.7 GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
<br /> 4.7.1 Existin� Settin�
<br /> This section provides a general discussion of global climate change and focuses on emissions from
<br /> human activities that alter the chemical composition of the atmosphere. The discussion on global
<br /> climate change and greenhouse gas emissions is based upon the California Global Warming
<br /> Solutions Act of 2006 (Assembly Bill [AB] 32),the 2006 and 2009 Climate Action Team (CAT)
<br /> reports to former Governor Schwarzenegger and the Legislature, and research,information, and
<br /> analysis completed by the International Panel on Climate Change (IPPC),the United States
<br /> Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), California Air Resources Board(CARB), and the CAT.
<br /> Global climate change refers to changes in weather including temperatures,precipitation, and wind
<br /> patterns. Global temperatures are modulated by naturally occurring and anthropogenic (generated by
<br /> mankind) atmospheric gases such as carbon dio�de (COz), methane (CH4), and nitrous o�de (N20).'s
<br /> These gases allow sunlight into the Earth's atmosphere but prevent heat from radiating back out into
<br /> outer space and escaping from the earth's atmosphere,thus altering the Earth's energy balance. This
<br /> phenomenon is known as the greenhouse effect.
<br /> California produced 474 million gross metric tons (MMT) of COz equivalent(COze) averaged over
<br /> the period from 2002-2004. COze is a measurement used to account for the fact that different
<br /> greenhouse gases (GHGs)have different potential to retain infrared radiation in the atmosphere and
<br /> contribute to the greenhouse effect. This potential,known as the global warming potential (GWP) of
<br /> a GHG,is dependent on the lifetime, or persistence, of the gas molecule in the atmosphere. For
<br /> example, one ton of CH4 has the same contribution to the greenhouse effect as appro�mately 23 tons
<br /> of COz. Therefore, CH4 is a much more potent GHG than COz. Expressing emissions in COze takes
<br /> the contributions of all GHG emissions to the greenhouse effect and converts them to a single unit
<br /> equivalent to the effect that would occur if only COz were being emitted.16
<br /> Naturally occurring GHGs include but are not limited to: carbon dioxide, methane,nitrous oxide,
<br /> hydrofluorocarbons,perfluorocarbons and sulfur hexafluoride." Several classes of halogenated
<br /> substances that contain fluorine, chlorine, or bromine are all GHG's,but are for the most part solely a
<br /> product of industrial activities.
<br /> Impacts to California from climate change include shifting precipitation patterns,increasing
<br /> temperatures, increasing severity and duration of wildfires, earlier melting of snow pack and effects
<br /> on habitats and biodiversity. Sea levels along the California coast have risen up to seven inches over
<br /> the last century, and average annual temperatures have been increasing. These and other effects will
<br /> likely intensify in the coming decades and significantly impact the State's public health,natural and
<br /> manmade infrastructure, and ecosystems.18
<br /> is IPCC,2007,Summary for Policymakers,In"Climate Change 2007:The Physical Science Bases. Contribution of
<br /> Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change" [Solomon,
<br /> S.,D. Qin,M.Mam�ing,Z. Chen,M.Marquis,KB.Averyt,M.Tignor,and H.L.Miller(eds.)]. Cambridge
<br /> University Press,Cambridge,United Kingdom and New York,NY,USA. Available at:http://ipcc.cl�/
<br /> 16 BAAQMD. CEQA Guidelines. May 20ll.
<br /> <http://www.baaqmd.�ov/Divisions/Plannin�-and-Researcl�/CEQA-GUIDELINES/LTpdated-CEQA-
<br /> Guidelines.asnx> Accessed July 20,20ll.
<br /> �'Greenhouse gases as defined by the adopted 2010 CEQA Guidelines.
<br /> 18 State of California Energy Cominission. 2009 California Climate Adaptation Stv�ategy Discussion Draft.
<br /> Frequently Asked Questions. August 3,2009. <www.climatechan'°e.�ca. o•° v�/adaptation/documents/2009-07-
<br /> 31_Discussion_Draft-Adaptation_FAQs.pdf�
<br /> 1410 Valota Road Residential Project 38 Initial Study
<br /> Redwood City January 2012
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