Item 28 - Public Hearing - ZOA No. 20204-01 South Coast Technology Center

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South Coast Technology Center Project CEQA Exemption 15183 implementation of General Plan Update goals and policies and compliance with applicable regulations (i.e., Building Energy Efficiency Standards, CALGreen, and California's Renewable Portfolio Standards [RPS]). Moreover, the GPU PEIR determined that the implementation of the General Plan Update would comply with the California RPS program and the City's Climate Action Plan (CAP). Compliance with these regulatory documents ensure that the General Plan Update would not conflict or obstruct a state or local plan for renewable energy or energy efficiency. Thus, the GPU PEIR determined that impacts of energy use would be less than significant. 4.6.2 Project Analysis The following section evaluates potential impacts on energy that would result from the construction and operation of the proposed Project. The analysis is primarily based upon Attachment D, Energy Assessment. The analysis focuses on the two sources of energy that are relevant to the proposed Project: electricity and transportation fuel for vehicle trips associated with Project operations as well as the fuel necessary for Project construction. CONSUMPTION OF ENERGY Project construction would require temporary energy consumption primarily using fuel for construction equipment, construction worker vehicle trips to and from the Project Site, and the import and export of earth materials to and from the Project Site by heavy trucks. For operation, the proposed Project would require energy use in the form of electricity and fuel consumption; the proposed Project would not utilize natural gas. For the purposes of this analysis, the proposed Project's electricity consumption is compared against existing conditions and the net change is compared to the total consumption in Orange County (County) in 2022, the latest year consumption data is available. Based on the Trip Generation Assessment for the Proposed South Coast Technology Center Proiecf (Trip Generation Assessment; Attachment K), the proposed Project would result in an operational trip generation that would be less than the existing conditions. However, the Project's estimated trip generation would result in a fleet mix that utilizes more 2-, 3-, and 4-axle trucks than the existing conditions. These trucks use diesel with a lower miles per gallon efficiency rate and longer trip lengths, resulting in higher diesel fuel consumption. Table 4.6-1, Net Change in Energy Consumption, shows the net change of the Project's energy consumption compared to existing conditions. As shown in Table 4.6-1, due to the different fleet mix (more medium- and heavy-duty trucks) compared to existing conditions, the Project would result in higher fuel consumption. Table 4.6-1 Net Change in Energy Consumption Energy Type' gy yp Existing Energy Project Energy Project Net Consumption Consumption Chan e2 Electricity 3,691 MWh 5,703 MWh 2,012 MWh Natural Gas3 45,123 therms 0 therms -45,123 therms Fuel Operational Fuel Consumption Gasoline 154,292 gallons 132,393 ga Ions -21,900 gallons Operational Fuel Consumption Diesel 11,624 gallons 392,103 gallons 380,479 gallons Notes: 1. Construction was not analyzed in this table as the existing conditions does not include construction energy consumption. 2. Numbers my be slightly off due to rounding. 3. The Project would not utilize natural gas, and as such, the net change is negative. Source: Refer to Appendix A of Attachment D, Energy Assessment, for CalEEMod outputs and assumptions used in this analysis. July 2024 Page 41