1. INTRODUCTION
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) will direct the preparation of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Carson to Norwalk Pipeline Project proposed by the Santa Fe Pacific Pipeline Partners. The CPUC, as the lead California State agency, has selected Aspen Environmental Group (Aspen), a third-party contractor, to prepare a draft and final EIR to comply with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
This Scoping Report presents a summary of the issues and concerns from the public and various agencies. Comments were submitted in written form, and verbal comments were given at the two scheduled scoping meetings in Long Beach and Bellflower. Both written and oral comments are summarized in Section 2, and copies of all written comment letters are included in Section 4.
1.1 Purpose of Scoping
The EIR on the Carson to Norwalk Pipeline Project will evaluate the potential significant environmental effects of the proposed project and alternatives. The process of determining the focus and content of the EIR is known as scoping. Scoping helps to identify the range of actions, alternatives, environmental effects, and mitigation measures to be analyzed in depth, and eliminates from detailed study those issues that are not pertinent to the final decision on the Proposed Project. Scoping is also an effective way to bring together and address the concerns of the public, affected agencies, and other interested parties. Significant issues may be identified through public and agency comments.
Scoping is not conducted to resolve differences concerning the merits of the project or to anticipate the ultimate decision on the proposal. Rather, the purpose of scoping is to help ensure that a comprehensive and focused EIR will be prepared that provides a firm basis for the decision-making process. Members of the public, affected Federal, State, and local agencies, the proponent of the action, interest groups, and other interested parties may participate in the scoping process for this project by providing written and verbal comments or recommendations concerning the issues to be analyzed in the EIR.
The intent of the Carson to Norwalk Pipeline Project EIR scoping process is to:
1) Inform the agencies and interested members of the public about the proposed project and the CPUC's actions in relation to it, including compliance with CEQA requirements
2) Identify the range of concerns and project-related issues that form the basis for identification of significant environmental issues to be addressed in the EIR
3) Identify a range of alternatives to the proposed project which may be considered in the EIR
4) Identify suggested mitigation measures or ideas and approaches to mitigation that may be useful and explored further in the EIR
5) Develop a mailing list of agencies and individuals interested in the future actions relative to the EIR.
1.2 Scoping Process
The scoping process for the Carson to Norwalk Pipeline Project EIR consists of four elements:
1) Issuance of a Notice of Preparation (NOP)/Notice of Public Scoping Meetings soliciting comments from public agencies, as required by CEQA
2) Public scoping meetings
3) Summarization of scoping comments in this Scoping Report
4) Distribution of the Scoping Report and scoping comments as appropriate to the commenting agencies, Scoping Meeting attendees requesting a copy, the EIR team members for use in work planning and impact analysis, and to public libraries designated as project repository sites for members of the public interested in reviewing the report and comments.
1.2.1 Notice of Preparation
The CPUC issued the NOP on August 25, 1997 and distributed it to the State Clearinghouse and city, county, state and federal agencies, affected state and federal legislators, and local elected officials. There was a 30-day legally required period for interested parties to submit comments regarding the content of the EIR. There were approximately 60 copies of the NOP mailed out and an additional 40 copies distributed at the scoping meetings. A copy of the NOP (in both English and Spanish) is included in Appendix A of this report
1.2.2 Scoping Meetings
Locations. Two public scoping meetings were conducted:
Public Notice. Notices of the scoping meetings were posted in 3 newspapers along the pipeline ROW in advance of their occurrence. The notices stated that a Spanish translator would be available at both meetings. Following is a list of newspapers and the date which the public notices appeared:
Presentation. The following format was used for the scoping meetings:
Meeting Handouts. Informational materials were made available at each meeting including those listed below. Copies of these documents are included as Appendices A through F to this report.
Notice of Preparation (NOP)/Notice of Public Scoping Meetings in English and Spanish versions
Scoping Handouts including the meeting agenda, EIR task flow chart, a schematic map of the proposed project (provided by the applicant)
EIR Scoping Comment Sheet.
Other Information. At each meeting, all speakers who wished to address the scoping panel noted on the meeting sign-in sheet that they wished to speak or raised their hands during the public comment period. A three minute time limit was suggested for comments, more time was allowed if the number of commentors were not significantly high. Translation services were available in Spanish; however no attendees requested these services. Attendees were also invited to submit comments in writing, send written comments to the project e-mail address, or fill out the EIR Scoping Comment Sheet. The deadline for submitting written comments was identified as September 29, 1997.
1.2.3 Participants and Attendees
The majority of the people attending the meetings signed in upon entrance to the meeting. Following is a brief summary of each meeting’s attendees:
DeForest Park, Long Beach, September 17, 1997
19 names on the sign-in sheet and added to EIR Project Mailing List
14 commentors entered onto public record
Spanish translation was provided at this meeting.
Simms Park, Bellflower, September 18, 1997
22 names on the sign-in sheet and added to EIR Project Mailing List
13 commentors entered onto public record
Spanish translation was provided at this meeting.
1.2.4 Oral Comments Received
The following individuals provided oral comments at one or both of the scoping meetings. The comments made by these individuals have been incorporated into the Section 2 summaries of Scoping Issues and Concerns.
1.3 EIR Schedule and Future Opportunities for Public Involvement
The scoping process is the first step in the process of preparing an EIR. Following are the documents that will be prepared and upcoming events that will occur during this process:
| Event or Document | Purpose | Approximate Date |
| EIR Newsletter #1 | Describing the proposed project and alternative routes to be evaluated | November 1997 |
| Draft EIR | Presenting impacts and mitigation for proposed project and alternatives | December 1997 |
| EIR Newsletter #2 | Describing availability of Draft EIR, dates and locations of public hearings, procedures for submitting comments) | December 1997 |
| Public Hearings | To present oral comments on Draft EIR | January 1998 |
| End of EIR Comment period | (60 days after issuance of EIR) Written comments accepted if postmarked by last day | February 1998 |
| Final EIR | Responding to comments on Draft EIR | April 1998 |
Representatives of local agencies or members of the public may contact any of the following people for information on the status of the project:
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