City of Hermosa Beach
NOTICE OF COMPLETION AND AVAILABILITY OF DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT
FOR PUBLIC REVIEW -ENDING APRIL 14, 2014
E & B Oil Drilling and Production Project
Notice is hereby given that, pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act, the City of Hermosa Beach, as lead agency, has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the project identified below and is accepting Public Comment until 6:00 p.m. on Monday, April 14, 2014.
PROJECT TITLE: E&B Oil Drilling and Production Project (SCH# 2013071038)
PROJECT APPLICANT: E & B Natural Resources Management Corp., 1600Norris Road, Bakersfield, CA 93308
PROJECT LOCATION: 555 6th Street, Hermosa Beach (site for proposed oil project; currently the City’s Maintenance Yard) and1315 Valley Drive/552 11th Place (site for relocation of City Maintenance Yard), Hermosa Beach. Proposed oil and gas pipelines and associated meters and valve stations will extend into the Cities of Redondo Beach and Torrance.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The Applicant proposes to develop the 1.3-acre project site at 555 6th St, Hermosa Beach, currently used as the City Maintenance Yard, as an onshore drilling and production site using directional drilling to access oil and gas reserves in the tidelands and uplands within the Torrance Oil Field, with 30 production wells, 4 water injection wells, liquid and gas separating equipment, and gas processing unit. Oil and gas pipelines and associated meters and valve stations extending into Redondo Beach and Torrance will be developed. The EIR also evaluates relocation of the existing City Maintenance Yard to City property adjacent to and south of Hermosa Beach City Hall, 1315 Valley Drive/552 11th Place, Hermosa Beach (Assessor’s Parcel Numbers 4187-031-900, 4187-020-907/904).Parking at both sites will be relocated. Proposed oil project approvals, which will require voter approval, include General Plan, Coastal Land Use Plan, Zoning and Municipal Code amendments, and a Development Agreement. Other responsible agencies having jurisdiction over the project for which permits will be required include the Coastal Commission, State Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources, and South Coast Air Quality Management District.
The Draft EIR discussed whether the project will create significant impacts to areas including Aesthetics/Visuals, Biological Resources, Air Quality, Drainage/Absorption, Fire Hazard/Safety, Flood Plain/Flooding, Water Quality, Water Supply/Groundwater, Archaeological/Historical, Geologic/Seismic, Minerals, Soil Erosion/Compaction/Grading, Coastal Zone, Noise, Sewer Capacity, Solid Waste, Land Use, Recreation/Parks, Public Services/ Facilities/Utilities, Traffic/Circulation, Vegetation, Toxic/Hazardous, Cumulative Effects, and Growth Inducement. The consulting firm that assisted the City of Hermosa Beach in the preparation of the Draft EIR is Marine Research Specialists, 3140 Telegraph Road, Suite A, Ventura, CA 93003-3238.
Submission of Public Comment: The Public Review Period is February 13 to April 14, 2014.Please submit written comments to Mr. Ken Robertson, City of Hermosa Beach, 1315 Valley Drive, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254, (310)318-0242. Comments may also be submitted by email to: oilproject@hermosabch.org.
Notice is also given that the City of Hermosa Beach has scheduled two public meetings to receive verbal comments, on April 2 and April 10, 2014, 6:30 p.m., City Hall, 1315 Valley Drive, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254.
Additional public meetings to inform and educate the public are also scheduled. The schedule is available online at www.hermosabch.org.
A copy of the Notice of Completion and Availability, the Draft Environmental Impact Report, as well as the full project description, are available at the City of Hermosa Beach, Community Development Department at 1315 Valley Drive, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254, or online at: www.hermosabch.org(click on“Oil Drilling and Production Project” under “Spotlight”).
Ken Robertson
Director of Community Development Department
Easy Reader Inc/Redondo Beach News/February 13, 2014/HD14-010