SECTION 4.0

ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING, IMPACTS, AND MITIGATION

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PROPOSED PROJECT

4.9    MARINE TRANSPORTATION AND COMMERCIAL FISHING

This section assesses the potential impacts of the proposed Project on the operation of commercial marine transportation, including commercial fishing vessels, on San Francisco Bay. Accordingly, this section focuses on commercial marine transportation, including the proposed use of vessels to install the cable in the Bay between San Francisco and Pittsburg, and does not address proposed onshore facilities. Specifically, this section deals with the navigational setting, movements of commercial marine vessels, and commercial fishing (Figure 4.9-1) (including commercial recreational fishing) within San Francisco Bay, and the potential navigational hazards related to the proposed Project. This section includes discussions about commercial vessel types and their activity in the Project area, as well as the hazards posed by the weather, current, and submarine structures.

Impacts of the Project on the fisheries natural resource are considered in Section 4.6, Marine Biological Resources, non-commercial recreational fishing is discussed in Section 4.8, Land Use and Recreation, and surface transportation is discussed in Section 4.10, Traffic and Transportation.

4.9.1    Environmental Setting

4.9.1.1    Navigational Environment

The following paragraphs discuss the environmental setting for marine transportation, including potential navigational hazards posed by weather, currents, submarine structures, and other vessel traffic.

The study area for marine transportation follows the proposed cable route from the Potrero Point area of San Francisco to Pittsburg. This includes the Central Bay, San Pablo Bay, Suisun Bay, the Carquinez Strait, and New York Slough. This study area contains major shipping channels and significant islands including Angel Island, Alcatraz Island, Yerba Buena Island, and Treasure Island, as well as smaller islands including Red Rock, The Brothers, and the Marin Islands. In addition, numerous shoals and reefs, as well as fixed and floating aids to navigation, are present along the proposed cable route. Vessel traffic in the entire study area is monitored 24 hours per day, 7 days per week by U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Vessel Traffic Service San Francisco, as part of the "prevention" function of USCG Sector San Francisco.

4.9.1.1.1    Navigation in the Bay. The challenges to navigation on San Francisco Bay include strong tides and currents and variable depths. Most of the Bay is in fact quite shallow, constraining deep-draft vessels to narrow dredged channels and presenting the risk of grounding to vessels operated outside the channels. Navigating the Bay becomes more difficult during periods of restricted visibility due to winter storms and fog. Vessel traffic in the Bay consists of a complex variety of inbound and outbound oceangoing vessels, and wholly in-Bay vessel movements that include tugs, government vessels, passenger ferries, recreational vessels, and commercial and recreational fishing boats. Vessel operations are in fact governed by a traffic separation scheme depicted on all local navigation charts.

4.9.1.1.2    Shoals and Islands. There is a shoal area just west of the Golden Gate Bridge and north of the main entry channel to the Bay. This area, commonly known as the 4-fathom bank or Potato Patch Shoals, is a potential navigational hazard for any vessel with a draft greater than 24 feet. Once inside the Golden Gate, shallow areas around such islands as Alcatraz, Angel Island, Treasure Island, and Yerba Buena Island (refer to Map A.2-1 in Appendix A) are hazards to navigation and, when combined with other elements including fog, traffic, malfunctioning navigational equipment, or human error, can present hazards to vessels. Additional islands and shallow areas in the study area include the portion of the proposed cable route that passes between Browns Island in Pittsburg, and Winter Island in Antioch.

4.9.1.1.3    Weather. Storms in the winter and fog during the warmer months are meteorological conditions that contribute to navigational difficulties. Fog, often heavy, occurs much of the time during the summer months, entering through the Golden Gate in the late afternoon and typically burning off by early the next afternoon. Some types of commercial vessels, including tankers carrying hazardous materials such as fuel oil, have been restricted from transiting the Bay during periods of heavy fog. Fog by itself does not pose a serious problem if ship navigation equipment is functioning properly. However, when fog is combined with heavy vessel traffic, as well as the strong tides and currents in the Bay, the possibility of other vessels straying from the traffic lanes increases and navigation can be hazardous.

4.9.1.1.4    Currents and Tides. Daily tidal ranges on the San Francisco waterfront may be as much as 7 feet during spring tides. The tidal influence decreases with distance from the Golden Gate, with average tidal ranges in Pittsburg averaging around 3 feet. This tidal range can cause extremely strong currents, particularly in narrow passages such as the Carquinez Straits.

Currents above 2 knots are considered strong and potentially hazardous to vessels if proper corrections and allowances are not made, particularly during the slow-speed maneuvering required within most of the Bay. The greatest currents occur at the Golden Gate, with the average maximum flood being 3.3 knots and the maximum ebb being 4.5 knots. There are also strong tidal currents all along San Francisco's waterfront from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Bay Bridge, and around Treasure Island on the east and west sides. Even as far south as Hunters Point, there are currents up to 2.2 knots. These currents, combined with the strong winds, make maneuvering large vessels at slow speed hazardous without tugboat assistance. Currents are similarly strong in the Carquinez Strait, with ebbs of as much as 3.6 knots.

4.9.1.1.5    Vessel Traffic. The greatest hazard to vessel navigation on San Francisco Bay is other vessel traffic. Large commercial and naval vessels are required by USCG regulations to use designated traffic lanes when traveling in inland waterways such as San Francisco Bay. Ferry boats and other small commercial vessels (i.e., tugboats and private vessels) not constrained by their draft often do not navigate within specific traffic lanes, but instead travel via the most direct routes. These vessels can pose hazards to navigation, particularly if other circumstances such as fog are present. Private vessel traffic is heaviest during weekend days and can pose hazards to dredge scows under tow. Tugboats may have trouble controlling their tows. Sporadic incidents, such as towing bridles that break and barges that run aground, are documented in USCG vessel traffic reports.

4.9.1.2    Commercial Marine Transportation

The volume of vessel traffic in the Project area was estimated on the basis of USGS records of 2004 vessel movements in San Francisco Bay. These records, obtained from Coast Guard Vessel Traffic Service San Francisco Bay, were sorted by type of vessel (ocean-going commercial, intra-bay commercial, and ferries). To capture seasonality, a representative month for each of the four seasons was chosen for an in-depth study (January, April, July, October). The average number of vessel movements per hour of the day and per day of the week was counted for each season. It was also determined which areas of the Bay these vessels traveled through. For this the Bay was divided into three sections.

• Section 1 (Central Bay) the entire Project area south of the Tiburon peninsula

• Section 2 (North Bay) north of Tiburon and west of Point Pinole

• Section 3 (Lower Delta) east of Point Pinole

These sections are shown graphically on Figure 4.9-2.

4.9.1.2.1    Oceangoing Commercial. This includes all tankers, bulk carriers, container ships, automobile carriers, passenger cruise ships and other deep-draft commercial vessels that are either entering the Bay from the ocean or exiting the Bay to the ocean. All oceangoing commercial vessels are assumed to cross the cable route during transits into or out of the Bay. The cable route from Quarry Point on Angel Island to approximately China Basin crosses or lies within the San Francisco Bay Regulated Navigation Area (RNA). In the RNA, large vessels are required to keep within shipping lanes designated for inbound and outbound traffic. Figure 4.9-3 shows that on Sunday and Monday, an average of about 15 of these vessels transit through the Bay, increasing to 18 vessels by Wednesday and remaining above 15 vessels per day for the rest of the week. Peak hours of commercial vessel traffic (Figure 4.9-4) are in the late afternoon between 4 and 6 p.m. and in the early morning between 3 and 6 a.m. A majority of commercial vessel traffic is bound to or from the container terminal at the Port of Oakland, resulting in a much higher number of transits through the Central Bay than through the other sections of the Bay (Figure 4.9-5). There is no recognizable pattern of seasonality for oceangoing commercial vessels.

4.9.1.2.2    Intra-bay Commercial and Government Vessels. This category includes tugboats, towboats, work, military, and research vessels. Tugboats represent the majority of vessels operated in this category. The peak hours for these vessel operations (Figure 4.9-6) are between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. During non-peak hours, there is an approximately 50 percent reduction in this vessel traffic. Sunday is the slowest day of the week with an average of 60 movements per day, increasing steadily through the week to about 120 movements per day on Thursday and Friday, as shown graphically on Figure 4.9-7. On Saturday movements tend to taper off. Fall and winter tend to have more movements than the spring and summer. Commercial and government vessels travel more in the Central Bay than in the other sections of the Bay (Figure 4.9-8).

Tugs with tows, which by their nature are less maneuverable than individual powered vessels, must stay within the designated shipping channels. However, tugs without tows are not required to stay with in the shipping lanes and generally take the shortest navigational route between two points that is allowed by their drafts. Tugs are designed for maneuverability and responsiveness, and the legal requirements for their pilotage include detailed knowledge of the Bay and its hazards.

4.9.1.2.3    Ferries. Commuter ferries constitute the largest class of commercial vessel traffic in San Francisco Bay. During the peak hours between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. (Figure 4.9-9) there can be as many as 20 ferry movements in the course of one hour. Monday through Friday there are approximately 250 ferry movements per day, and slightly fewer on Saturday and Sunday (Figure 4.9-10). There are fewer transits during winter than any other season. The majority of current commuter ferry operations serve San Francisco via the ferry terminal at the foot of Market Street. Some commuter services also operate from piers 39 and 41, the locations of popular tour operations. The services originating at Larkspur, Alameda/Oakland, Vallejo, and Tiburon and connecting to San Francisco are the most traveled. The San Francisco waterfront is the most congested area because the major routes converge at the San Francisco Ferry Building. Figure 4.9-11 shows the relative volumes of ferry traffic in the different sections of the Bay. Ferries are not required to stay on a designated route and are typically very maneuverable, operating at speeds of up to 33 knots.

4.9.1.3    Commercial Fishing

San Francisco Bay was once host to thriving commercial salmon, striped bass, herring, sturgeon, shrimp, and Dungeness crab fisheries. Today, however, the only commercial fisheries active within San Francisco Bay are the Bay shrimp and Pacific herring fisheries. Herring and their roe are harvested after spawning. Bay shrimp are currently taken for sale as bait for other fisheries. Of the two fisheries, the Pacific herring fishery comprises a greater proportion of commercial vessel traffic, fishing activity, and market value. In 2004, the value of the total catch of Bay shrimp in San Francisco Bay was $626,777 and the value of the total catch of the Pacific herring fishery was in excess of $4 million (CDFG, 2005). The Bay also supports commercial recreational fisheries, comprised of "party" boats that operate for hire from harbors around San Francisco Bay. These operators offer paying passengers access to fishing grounds in the Bay and outside the Golden Gate where they may take sport fish in season in accordance with regulations as to species, size, and limits. Other vessels that engage in commercial fishing outside the Golden Gate in the Pacific Ocean would traverse the proposed HVDC cable area, but the principal fishing activity of these vessels occurs outside the Bay. Their movement through the Project area would primarily involve their transit across the cable route to and from offshore fishing grounds.

4.9.1.3.1    Pacific Herring. The herring season lasts from the beginning of December to mid-March. The herring fishery encompasses two techniques: fishing for live herring using purse seine or gill nets, and harvesting herring eggs from the kelp upon which they have been laid.

Fishing for live herring is only allowed 5 days per week; no fishing is allowed from noon on Friday to 5 p.m. on Sunday. The season is broken into periods during which three separate "platoons" of vessels are permitted to fish. One platoon fishes primarily in December and the other two platoons (odd and even number permits) fish alternating weeks from January through March. Table 4.9-1 shows the number of boats in each of the platoons.

TABLE 4.9-1
DISTRIBUTION OF NUMBERS OF VESSELS
AMONG FLEET PLATOONS¹

¹ Source: Azat, 2005.

Pacific herring typically spawn in the inter-tidal or shallow sub-tidal areas; in San Francisco Bay the herring spawn in near-shore areas. Spawning is known to occur between Redwood City and the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge on the western side of the Bay and on the eastern side from the Berkeley Flats to Bay Farm Island (see Figure 4.9-1). The fishing fleet follows the spawning activities, so the location of vessels engaged in fishing changes continuously. In the middle of a large spawning event nearly all the boats in a seasonal platoon may crowd the spawning area, the vessels and nets effectively closing that area to any other traffic.

The season for harvesting herring eggs from kelp is from December 1 to March 31. The California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) issues permits for operators in this fishery to place rafts of lines in likely spawning locations, from which giant kelp plants are suspended. After the spawning herring have deposited their eggs on the suspended kelp, the eggs are harvested from the plants, packaged, and transported to market. This fishing activity occurs principally in the near-shore areas of the Bay identified as herring spawning grounds. Rafts and fixed lines used in the herring egg fishery are regulated by the CDFG, and are subject to all the regulations of vessel navigation on San Francisco Bay (Azat, 2005).

4.9.1.3.2    Bay Shrimp. This fishery supplies Bay shrimp as live bait for sturgeon and striped bass sport fishing. A small percentage of this catch is still marketed fresh for human consumption. The commercial harvest is entirely by beam trawl. From 1989 to 2000, recorded landings were 18.3 million pounds of shrimp with over 17 million pounds recorded in the South Bay alone. Live tanks are used on all vessels and shrimp are transported to local bait shops by truck in either the tanks or iced-down wooden trays.

Key fishing areas within the Bay are shown on Figure 4.9-1. These areas include the South Bay, northwestern San Pablo Bay, the Carquinez Strait, and salt ponds in the South Bay. Fishing also occurs in waters less than 20 feet deep in the channels of the Bay's shallow reaches.

Over the last 10 years, the number of vessels harvesting shrimp has remained steady at about 14. In 1999, eight trawlers harvested shrimp in north San Francisco Bay, San Pablo Bay, Petaluma Creek, and the Carquinez Strait. Fishing occurs year round but landings usually peak from June through November. Monthly variations in landings may have as much to do with changes in salinity in the water, as with fluctuations in demand for bait shrimp by sport anglers (CDFG, 2001).

4.9.1.3.3    Commercial Sport Recreational Fishing. Commercial sport fishing vessels typically carry parties of paying customers to sport fishing grounds outside the Golden Gate, but occasionally pursue migratory species within the Bay. Due to the nature of their business of chartering to groups, they are commonly referred to as "party boats." Commercial charter fishermen operate from the harbors of Oakland, Emeryville, Berkeley, Richmond, Point San Pablo, San Rafael, and Sausalito. The fleet operating in the area of the proposed Project comprises between 30 and 40 vessels. Depending on the season, the weather, and the clientele, these vessels may operate within the Bay or beyond the Golden Gate. While their activity is not aimed at harvesting fish for the commercial market, their operation is governed by the same navigation rules as all other vessels on the Bay, and their sport fishing activity is regulated by the CDFG. A number of commercial sport fishing vessels also offer San Francisco Bay tours and wildlife viewing. The latter, whale and shark observation, occurs principally in the Gulf of the Farallones, outside the Golden Gate in the Pacific Ocean.

4.9.2    Regulatory Setting

4.9.2.1    Federal

4.9.2.1.1    Applicable Regulation. Vessels navigating in and around San Francisco Bay are governed by: the Inland Navigational Rules Act of 1980 (known as the Inland Rules [Title 33, Chapter 34, Subchapter I, Part A]), and the International Regulations for Preventing Collision at Sea (known as the International Navigational Rules or 72 COLREGS), which became effective on December 24, 1981.

The Inland Rules govern domestic rivers, lakes, harbors, and inland waterways. The COLREGS govern open bodies of water in which foreign shipping traffic is possible, and comprise statutory requirements designed to promote navigational safety. The boundaries between the areas where these rules apply are shown as COLREGS Demarcation Lines on navigational charts. The COLREGS line for the San Francisco Bay Area is outside the Golden Gate.

Other applicable federal navigation rules would be enforced including the Cable Act of 1992 (47 CFR Part 76), which states that other vessels must maintain a 1.15‑mile (1‑nm) separation from a vessel laying or repairing an undersea cable. Statutory navigation rules define the responsibilities of vessels restricted in their ability to maneuver, such as cable-laying vessels, and of other vessels operating in their vicinity, all aimed at preventing collisions or other incidents.

4.9.2.1.2    Regulated Navigation Areas. The USCG has established RNAs within San Francisco Bay (Figure 4.9-12). RNAs increase navigational safety by organizing traffic flow patterns; reducing meeting, crossing, and overtaking situations between large vessels in constricted channels; and limiting vessel speed. RNAs apply to "large vessels" (defined as power-driven vessels of 1,600 or more gross tons, or tugs with a tow of 1,600 or more gross tons). When navigating within RNAs, large vessels must have their engines ready for immediate maneuvering, operate their engines in a control mode and on fuel that allows for an immediate response to any engine order, and not exceed a speed of 15 knots.

The following paragraphs describe RNAs that correspond to the proposed cable route.

San Francisco Bay RNA. The San Francisco Bay RNA extends from the precautionary zone east of the Golden Gate Bridge to Alcatraz Island. Because of the large number of vessels entering and departing San Francisco Bay, traffic lanes were established under the Golden Gate Bridge and in the Central Bay to separate opposing traffic and reduce vessel congestion. The lanes are located where voluntary traffic lanes previously existed. Use of these lanes and adherence to the indicated direction of travel is required by the USCG for large vessels, and recommended for all other vessels.

Because vessels converge and cross in such a manner that one-way traffic flow patterns are not possible, two precautionary areas were established in this RNA. The Golden Gate Precautionary Area encompasses the waters around the Golden Gate Bridge between the Golden Gate and the Central Traffic Lanes. The Central Bay Precautionary Area encompasses the large portion of the Central Bay and part of the South Bay.

North Ship Channel RNA and San Pablo Strait Channel RNA. The North Ship Channel and San Pablo Strait Channel RNAs consist of the existing charted channels and delineate the only areas where the depths of water are sufficient to allow the safe transit of large vessels. The strong tidal currents in these channels severely restrict the ability of large vessels to safely maneuver to avoid smaller vessels.

Pinole Shoal Channel RNA. The Pinole Shoal Channel RNA is a constricted waterway that extends from approximately Light 7 to Light 13 of the Pinole Shoal Channel. Its use is restricted to vessels with a draft greater than 20 feet, or towboats with tows drawing more than 20 feet.

Benicia-Martinez Railroad Bridge RNA. The Benicia-Martinez Railroad Bridge RNA is a small, circular area 200 yards in radius, centered on the middle of the channel under the Union Pacific Railroad Bridge between Benicia and Martinez (shown on Figure 4.9-12). The limited horizontal clearance results in a greater chance of vessel collisions with the bridge, especially when visibility is poor. Large vessels are precluded from transiting this RNA when visibility is less than 1,000 yards.

4.9.2.1.3    Vessel Traffic Service in San Francisco Bay. In accordance with the Ports and Waterways Safety Act of 1972 (33 U.S.C. § 1221 et seq.), the USCG operates a Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) for San Francisco Bay. Located on Yerba Buena Island, VTS San Francisco Bay controls marine traffic throughout the Bay Area. The VTS is a mandatory system that applies to all vessels of 40 meters or more in length, all vessels certified to carry 50 or more passengers, and all commercial vessels 8 meters or more in length engaged in towing another vessel. Although some small and private vessels are not required to coordinate their movements by contacting the VTS, the USCG monitors all commercial, military, government, and private marine traffic within San Francisco Bay and local coastal waters.

The VTS may issue directions to enhance navigation and vessel safety and protect the marine environment. During conditions of vessel traffic congestion, restricted visibility, adverse weather, or other dangerous conditions, the VTS may manage vessel traffic by specifying times of entry, movement, or departure to, from, or within the VTS area. The San Francisco VTS area "begins" at the outer limit of the Offshore Sector, a 38.7-nautical-mile radius around Mt. Tamalpais. To the north and east, it extends to the entrance to the Petaluma River, into the Napa River as far as the Mare Island Causeway Bridge, and upriver to Sacramento and Stockton.

Construction operations on the scale of the proposed Project are required to contact VTS daily so that construction activities are included in navigational advisories. VTS may also choose to include construction activities in a Local Notice to Mariners. The data used for the vessel traffic study mentioned earlier in this section was provided by the VTS.

4.9.2.1.4    Local Notice to Mariners. Each USCG district is responsible for developing and issuing Local Notices to Mariners (LNMs). LNMs are developed from information received from USCG field units, the general public, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Merchant Fleet, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Ocean Service (NOS), and other sources, concerning the establishment of, changes to, and deficiencies in aids to navigation and any other information pertaining to the safety of the waterways within each USCG district. This information includes reports of channel conditions, obstructions, hazards to navigation, dangers, anchorages, restricted areas, regattas, information on bridges such as proposed construction or modification, the establishment or removal of drill rigs and vessels, and similar items.

4.9.2.1.5    Other Federal Agencies. Other federal agencies with authority to regulate development and ensure protection of aquatic and marine resources include the EPA and USFWS.

4.9.2.2    State

4.9.2.2.1    The California Harbors and Navigation Code. The California Harbors and Navigation Code vests authority with the Department of Boating and Waterways to regulate matters of navigational safety for the state's boating public. California boating accident statistics are compiled under state law, Section 656 of the California Harbors and Navigation Code, which requires a boater who is involved in an accident to file a written report with the Department of Boating and Waterways when:

• A person dies, disappears, or is injured requiring medical attention beyond first aid

• Damage to a vessel or other property exceeds $500, or there is complete loss of a vessel

4.9.2.2.2    State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB). The SWRCB has authority to regulate development and ensure protection of aquatic resources.

4.9.2.3    Local

4.9.2.3.1    Harbor Safety Committee of the San Francisco Bay Region. In 1990, the California legislature enacted the Lempert-Keene-Seastrand Oil Spill Prevention and Response Act (OSPRA) (California Government Code Chapter 7.4). OSPRA created Harbor Safety committees for the major harbors of California to prepare Harbor Safety Plans, encompassing all vessel traffic, for the safe navigation and operation of tankers, barges, and other vessels within each harbor. OSPRA also mandates that each Harbor Safety committee annually review its previously adopted Harbor Safety Plan and recommendations and submit the annual review to the Oil Spill Prevention and Response Administrator for comment. The most recent available San Francisco Bay Region Harbor Safety Plan is for 2001.

4.9.2.3.2    Bar Pilots. At all times and in all weather pilots are stationed on pilot boats at the San Francisco sea buoy, approximately 12 miles west of the Golden Gate. These pilots navigate the sand bar just west of the Golden Gate, and help navigate the waters, hazards, and currents in the San Francisco Bay, San Pablo Bay, and Suisun Bay . San Francisco Bar Pilots provide these services for vessel movements to and from all terminals in the Bay and tributaries to the Bay, including the Carquinez Strait.

4.9.2.3.3    Commercial Fishing. The San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) develops and implements plans for the conservation and development of San Francisco Bay waters and regulates shoreline development, including commercial fishing facilities. The California State Lands Commission (SLC) manages and protects important natural resources and uses on public lands, including tidelands. Commercial and recreational fishing, kelp harvesting, and aquaculture are all considered important uses by the SLC. Permits are issued for development on tidelands, and mitigation is often required to help protect natural resources and access to those resources. Fisheries, aquaculture, and kelp harvesting are overseen by several state and federal agencies, including the CDFG, federal Secretary of Commerce, the Pacific Fisheries Management Council, and NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS).

4.9.2.3.4    Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB). The RWQCB has authority to regulate development and ensure protection of aquatic resources.

4.9.3    Environmental Impacts

This impact discussion evaluates the proposed Project's potential impacts to vessel traffic, including commercial maritime and commercial fishing operations. The proposed onshore converter station sites, laydown areas, and access roads would not involve interaction with vessel traffic, and thus, are not relevant to this analysis. Any materials delivered to the Port of Oakland for proposed onshore converter station construction would be a part of normal shipping traffic and would not be significant. For this assessment of impacts on vessel traffic, the proposed submarine cable is the focus, primarily during the construction phase, since routine cable operations are not expected to require any marine activity that could affect marine vessel traffic.

4.9.3.1    Thresholds of Significance

There are no specific California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines or regulations for analyzing impact significance associated with vessel traffic. The following significance criteria were determined to be a reasonable approach for assessing impacts for the Project. Construction and operation of the Project would be considered to impose an impact on vessel traffic if it would result in:

• Interference with vessel traffic which is substantial in relation to the existing traffic, causing delays or displacement to other watercraft in the area

• Substantial increase in traffic hazards (unsafe conditions) or incompatible uses

• Decrease in response time to emergencies

4.9.3.2    Construction-related Impacts

The effects of submarine cable installation on vessel traffic are assessed considering various types and numbers of commercial and passenger vessels that would be anticipated to operate in the Bay during cable laying activities.

4.9.3.2.1    Commercial Vessel Traffic. The proposed Project has been designed to minimize interruption of known vessel traffic, and to address potential safety risks to construction crews and other water users. This is principally a function of the cable's location relative to vessel traffic routes, although in some locations geography requires cable and cable-laying operations within navigational channels. The physical presence of vessels and equipment on the Bay would be primarily limited to the 4- to 5-month-long cable installation phase, which would progress 24 hours a day, 7 days per week. During the construction phase, the vessels engaged in and supporting the cable installation would operate in a limited area of the Bay, and would not remain in one location for an extended period. Exposure to vessel traffic would therefore be minimal. The cable-laying ship (C/S Giulio Verne) and barge and support or supply vessels would have limited interaction with other vessels in the vicinity.

The Project would be required to comply with applicable navigational codes and standards, and would be continuously monitored as a local navigational hazard. Vessel operations in the study area are governed and overseen by the USCG, via continuous monitoring, the provision of information to local marine operators, and the established rules of safe and prudent vessel operations. The entire cable-laying operation would be monitored throughout by USCG VTS San Francisco Bay. The USCG's Notice to Mariners continuously advises vessel operators of potential navigational hazards, such as cable-laying operations. The vessels involved in cable laying would be required to identify themselves and operate in accordance with the 72 COLREGS.

Impact MTRANS-1: Vessel Navigation Hazards. For the duration of construction, the vessels engaged in cable laying would present a potential hazard to navigation on the Bay. The cable-laying vessels themselves would be "restricted in their ability to maneuver." This means that the nature of the vessels themselves or of their operations limits their ability to take actions to avoid collisions that would be expected of otherwise fully maneuverable vessels. Vessels are by definition restricted in their ability to maneuver when engaged in laying, servicing, or picking up a navigational mark, submarine cable, or pipeline. Statutory navigation rules define the responsibilities of vessels restricted in their ability to maneuver, and of other vessels operating in their vicinity, all aimed at preventing collisions or other incidents. Non-compliance with these rules would be considered to result in a potentially significant impact.

Mitigation Measure MTRANS-1a: Project Registration, Information and Pilotage. Large construction vessels like the C/S Giulio Verne and any support vessels shall be required to notify the VTS at the beginning and end of each transit, and would be monitored continuously. The USCG would also notify operators of vessels in the area of the construction activities via Notices to Mariners. To ensure safe entrance into the Bay, all ships operating under foreign registry, like the Giulio Verne, are required to have a San Francisco Bar Pilot navigate the ship into the Bay.

Implementation Responsibility:  Project proponent/construction contractor (Prysmian)

Requirements and Timing:         Coordinate construction activities prior to and during submarine cable installation activities

Monitoring Requirements:          City of Pittsburg to monitor and ensure compliance

Mitigation MTRANS-1b: Compliance with Navigation Rules. The vessels involved in cable laying shall be required to identify themselves and operate in accordance with the COLREGS. The applicable navigation rules for San Francisco Bay shall regulate the cable laying operations and are designed to prevent collisions. Within the Bay, the operators of all vessels engaged in the Project shall have the legal responsibility to preclude hazardous situations, according to the applicable navigation rules.

Implementation Responsibility:  Project proponent/construction contractor (Prysmian)

Requirements and Timing:         Coordinate construction activities prior to and during submarine cable installation activities

Monitoring Requirements:          City of Pittsburg to monitor and ensure compliance

Mitigation Measure MTRANS-1c: Precautionary Area. A safety precautionary area shall be established around the construction vessels, and will be identified via the USCG Notice to Mariners to make vessels operating in the area aware of Project activities. All cable-laying vessels shall also operate in accordance with the applicable navigation rules including the Cable Act of 1992.

Implementation Responsibility:  Project proponent/construction contractor (Prysmian)

Requirements and Timing:         Coordinate construction activities prior to and during submarine cable installation activities

Monitoring Requirements:          City of Pittsburg to monitor and ensure compliance

Resulting Level of Significance. Mitigation Measures MTRANS-1a, 1b, and 1c would reduce Impact MTRANS-1 to a less-than-significant level.

4.9.3.2.2    Commercial Fishing Operations. Commercial fishing vessels share their use of San Francisco Bay with other maritime uses, including construction and dredging similar to the construction activities of the proposed Project. The cable-laying operation and its attendant vessel traffic would not be an unusual presence, and would be transitory and temporary in nature. For the majority of its length, the proposed cable route does not traverse marine habitat used for commercial fishing of Pacific herring and Bay shrimp. However, in their migrations, pelagic Pacific herring may traverse the proposed route of the cable and the location of the cable-laying vessels. Commercial fishing vessels following these fish would be required under statutory navigation rules to change course to avoid cable-laying operations.

Impact MTRANS-2: Interference with Commercial Fishing Operations. The cable-laying operation could cross the paths of Pacific herring commercially taken in San Francisco Bay. Commercial fishing vessels following these fish could potentially be required to change course by cable-laying operations. This impact is considered potentially significant.

Mitigation Measure MTRANS-2a: Commercial Fishing Avoidance. As practical, cable-laying operations shall be conducted outside the herring fishing season, which occurs annually from December to March. If this is not practical, the cable-laying operations shall be coordinated with USCG and Vessel Traffic Management to minimize potential conflicts.

Implementation Responsibility:  Project proponent/construction contractor (Prysmian)

Requirements and Timing:         Coordinate construction activities prior to and during submarine cable installation activities; Prysmian report any potential conflicts to USCG and Vessel Traffic Management

Monitoring Requirements:          City of Pittsburg to monitor and ensure compliance

Mitigation Measure MTRANS-2b: Project Information. The USCG should notify operators of all vessels in the area, including commercial fishermen, of Project construction activities via Notices to Mariners.

Implementation Responsibility:  Project proponent/construction contractor (Prysmian)/USCG

Requirements and Timing:         Coordinate construction activities prior to and during submarine cable installation activities

Monitoring Requirements:          City of Pittsburg to monitor and ensure compliance

Resulting Level of Significance. Mitigation Measure MTRANS-2a and 2b would reduce Impact MTRANS-2 to a less-than-significant level.

4.9.3.2.3    Commercial Sport Fishing Operations. While the majority of their sport fishing takes place outside the Golden Gate, commercial sport fishing vessels may operate on the Bay during the construction phase of the Project. The cable-laying operation would cross the migratory paths of sport fishing species (e.g., salmon, striped bass, and steelhead) followed by commercial recreational fishing vessels. During their migration seasons, these species may traverse the proposed route of the cable and the location of the cable-laying vessels. Commercial sport fishing vessels following these fish would be required under statutory navigation rules to change course to avoid cable-laying operations.

Impact MTRANS-3: Interference with Commercial Sport Fishing Operations. The cable-laying operation would cross the migratory paths of sport fishing species taken by commercial sport fishermen in San Francisco Bay. Commercial sport fishing vessels following these fish could be required to change course to avoid cable-laying operations. This impact is considered potentially significant.

Mitigation Measure MTRANS-3a: Commercial Sport Fishing Avoidance. As practical, cable-laying operations shall be conducted outside the primary seasons of commercial sport fishing on San Francisco Bay. If this is not practical, the cable-laying operations shall be coordinated with USCG and Vessel Traffic Management to minimize potential conflicts.

Implementation Responsibility:  Project proponent/construction contractor (Prysmian)

Requirements and Timing:         Coordinate construction activities prior to and during submarine cable installation activities; Prysmian report any potential conflicts to USCG and Vessel Traffic Management

Monitoring Requirements:          City of Pittsburg to monitor and ensure compliance

Mitigation Measure MTRANS-3b: Project Information. The USCG should notify operators of all vessels in the area, including commercial sport fishermen, of the construction activities via Notices to Mariners.

Implementation Responsibility:  Project proponent/construction contractor (Prysmian)

Requirements and Timing:         Coordinate construction activities prior to and during sub marine cable installation activities

Monitoring Requirements:          City of Pittsburg to monitor and ensure compliance

Resulting Level of Significance. Mitigation Measure MTRANS-3a and 3b would reduce Impact MTRANS-3 to a less-than-significant level.

4.9.3.3    Operations-related Impacts

During operations the cable would typically be buried in 3 to 6 feet of sediment below the Bay floor. In locations where the geophysical makeup of the Bay floor makes burial impossible, the cable would be protected by concrete mattresses or similar protective materials. The entire cable length would be heavily insulated, which would help protect it from damage by anchors. Vessel traffic would pass over the top of the cable corridor uninterrupted and unaffected. The cable would be identified on navigational maps to ensure that vessels using the area are aware of its location, which could help prevent a vessel from inadvertently dropping a large anchor on the cable. Normal operation of the cable would not add to vessel traffic, cause hazards to existing traffic, or substantially change the marine transportation environment.

The physical presence of Project-related vessels and equipment on the Bay would be limited to the 4- to 5-month-long submarine cable installation phase. The only operational case in which potential impacts to vessel traffic would arise would be the unlikely event of a cable break or malfunction, requiring diving or cable repair operations. The impacts and mitigations in this case would be similar to those presented for the construction phase in Section 4.9.3.2, but would only occur over an estimated 10-day to 2-week timeframe while repairs were being made.

The cable route has been designed to avoid designated anchorage areas. However, in an emergency situation, if a large commercial vessel loses power, it may drop anchor to avoid grounding or collision with fixed objects or other vessels. Therefore, there is a remote possibility that a large ship could be forced to drop anchor in a non-designated anchorage area for emergency or precautionary reasons. If such a vessel dropped anchor directly on top of the cable, the cable could be damaged. The condition of the cable would be monitored offsite by computer. In the event of substantial damage or a break in the cable, power transmission would be shut down immediately and the cable would be repaired as described in Section A.5.2.2.

4.9.4    References

Azat, Sara. 2005. California Department of Fish and Game Herring Biologist. Personal communication with Joe Quartini, URS Corporation. October 27, 2005.

CDFG (California Department of Fish and Game). 2001. California's Living Marine Resources: A Status Report.

2005. California Commercial Landings For 2004.

SLC (California State Lands Commission). 2005. Shore Terminals, LLC, Marine Oil Terminals Lease Renewal Environmental Impact Report.