City of Pittsburg Planning Department
Civic Center—65 Civic Avenue, Pittsburg, CA 94565
Telephone: (925) 252-4920 · FAX: (925) 252-4814

 

 

Notice of Availability

Trans Bay Cable Project

Draft Environmental Impact Report

(SCH# 2004082096)

 

Project Description/Location:

 

The Trans Bay Cable Project as proposed would involve the installation of a submarine High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) transmission cable and associated onshore facilities that would transmit electrical power and provide a dedicated connection between the East Bay near Pittsburg and the electrical transmission and distribution facilities serving the northern San Francisco peninsula. Use of a submarine HVDC cable allows for transmission of power over a very long distance with minimal energy loss.

 

Existing electrical power at a Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) substation near Pittsburg is provided as alternating current (AC). The proposed Project would involve drawing AC power from this existing Pittsburg PG&E substation and converting it to direct current (DC) at a proposed converter station in Pittsburg. The DC power would then be transmitted approximately 57 miles through a proposed submarine and buried onshore HVDC cable installed beneath New York Slough, Suisun Bay, the Carquinez Straits, San Pablo Bay and San Francisco Bay to a proposed converter station in San Francisco, where it would be converted back to AC power. This AC power would then be transmitted to the existing Potrero PG&E substation for release to the electrical grid. It is currently anticipated that the Project would become operational in 2009, with an operational life of at least 40 years.

 

Depending on the converter station site selected in Pittsburg, the City of Pittsburg is expected to consider any or all of the following discretionary approvals for the Project: development agreement (pursuant to Government Code sections 65864 to 65869.5), franchise agreement (pursuant to Public Utilities Code sections 6201 to 6302) and design review. In addition, for the two alternative Pittsburg West Tenth Street sites, a rezoning of the current overlay zoning district would be required to allow the converter station. Authorization to construct the Project would require the issuance of permits by various governmental agencies that have jurisdiction over the different component areas that the Project traverses and/or regulatory authorities over the environmental resources.

 

Significant Environmental Effects Identified in the Draft EIR:

 

The Draft Environmental Impact (Draft EIR) identifies potentially significant environmental effects for which mitigation would be required, as a result of Project development. These are in the areas of:

 

 

Air Quality

Geologic Resources and Soils
 

Water Resources and Quality

Terrestrial Biological Resources
 

Cultural Resources

Land Use and Recreation
 

Traffic and Transportation

Noise and Vibration
 

Public Services and Utilities

Visual Resources/Aesthetics
 

Hazardous Materials & Waste Management

Paleontological Resources
 

Marine Transportation/Commercial Fishing

  

 

The Draft EIR also identifies one potentially significant unavoidable environmental effect associated with the Project as proposed as a result of demolition of existing structures identified as historic resources at the San Francisco HWC Converter Station site.

 

Comment Period:

 

Written public comments on the Draft EIR for the Trans Bay Cable Project will be accepted beginning May 10, 2006. Written comments may be mailed or faxed to the attention of project planner Ken Strelo, at the address and fax number above. Comments may also be sent via email to kstrelo@ci.pittsburg.ca.us. All comments must be received by June 26, 2006, at 5:00 p.m.

 

Public Hearings:

 

The City of Pittsburg, as CEQA Lead Agency, will also receive comments on the Draft EIR at public hearings to be held in Pittsburg and San Francisco in early June of 2006 on dates, times, and locations to be determined and formally noticed. All recipients of this Notice of Availability will also receive a copy of the formal Public Hearing notifications.

 

Copies for Review:

 

Copies of the Draft EIR for the Trans Bay Cable Project are available for public review in the Planning Department at the City of Pittsburg Civic Center, located at 65 Civic Avenue in Pittsburg. Planning Department hours are between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. City offices will be closed on Monday, May 29, 2006, for Memorial Day.

 

The Draft EIR for the Trans Bay Cable Project will also be available for review at the Pittsburg Library, located at 80 Power Avenue in Pittsburg, at the Potrero Hill Neighborhood House, located at 953 De Haro Street in San Francisco, and on the City of Pittsburg’s website (www.ci.pittsburg.ca.us) commencing on or about May 15, 2006.