Item 26 - Public Hearing Vista Heritage Charter School (601 North Fairview Street)

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Vista Charter Public Schools District Office and Outdoor Space Project CEQA Exemption 15183 4.3.2 Project Analysis The following section evaluates the potential short- and long-term air quality impacts that would result from the construction and operation of the proposed project. The analysis is primarily based upon Attachment A, Air Quality/Greenhouse Gas/Energy Modeling Results. CONSISTENCY WITH APPLICABLE AIR QUALITY PLAN In order to reduce emissions in the Basin, the SCAQMD adopted the 2022 Air Quality Management Plan (2022 AQMP) which establishes a program of rules and regulations directed at reducing air pollutant emissions and achieving State and Federal air quality standards. The AQMP is a regional and multi -agency effort including the SCAQMD, California Air Resources Board (CARB), the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The 2022 AQMP pollutant control strategies are based on the latest scientific and technical information and planning assumptions, including the 2020-2045 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (2020-2045 RTP/SCS), updated emission inventory methodologies for various source categories, and SCAG's latest growth forecasts. SCAG's latest growth forecasts were defined in consultation with local governments and with reference to local general plans. The SCAQMD considers projects that are consistent with the AQMP, which is intended to bring the Basin into attainment for all criteria pollutants, to also have less than significant cumulative impacts. Criteria for determining consistency with the AQMP are defined by the following indicators: Criterion 1: With respect to the first criterion, SCAQMD methodologies require that an air quality analysis for a project include forecasts of project emissions in relation to contributing to air quality violations and delay of attainment. i) Would the project result in an increase in the frequency or severity of existing air quality violations? Since the consistency criteria identified under the first criterion pertains to pollutant concentrations, rather than to total regional emissions, an analysis of the project's pollutant emissions relative to localized pollutant concentrations is used as the basis for evaluating project consistency. As discussed below, localized concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), particulate matter less than 10 microns in diameter (PM,o), and particulate matter less than 2.5 microns in diameter (PM2.5) would be less than significant during project construction and operations. Therefore, the proposed project would not result in an increase in the frequency or severity of existing air quality violations.5 5 Because reactive organic gases (ROGs) are not a criteria pollutant, there is no ambient standard or localized threshold for ROGs. Due to the role ROG plays in ozone formation, it is classified as a precursor pollutant and only a reaional emissions threshold has been established. Dec I y ouncil 26 — 71 1/16/202 e 11