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City of Santa Ana Methodology Environmental Checklist Section 15064.4 of the State CEQA Guidelines establishes a two -step process for the determination of significance of greenhouse gas emissions. First, it requires lead agencies to calculate or estimate the overall magnitude of a project's greenhouse gas emissions. Second, once the magnitude of emissions has been estimated, it must analyze those emissions using applicable factors (i.e., does the project increase at- decrease emissions; do project emissions exceed an applicable threshold; does the project comply with applicable regulations or an applicable plan). Project - related GHG emissions were estimated using the CalEEMod software program, which calculates COz, CH4, and N20 emissions and presents these emissions in terms of COze. Following the methodology prescribed by the SCAQMD CEQA Significance Threshold Working Group, project emissions calculated include direct and indirect emissions during short -term construction and long -term project operations. Construction emissions were amortized over the life of the project, defined as 30 years, and added to the operational emissions to obtain total annual GHG emissions. Thresholds of Significance CEQA Guidelines do not provide numeric or qualitative thresholds of significance for GHG. However, All 32 requires that greenhouse gases emitted in California be reduced to 199O levels by the year 2020 and 80% below 199O levels by 2050. The 2020 reduction target equates to a decrease of approximately 28.5% below the BAU GHG emissions. Business -as -usual is defined as the emissions that would be expected to occur in the absence of any GHG reduction measures. The OPR Technical Advisory on CEQA and Climate Change suggests that in absence of regulatory guidance or standards, lead agencies such as the City of Santa Ana must undertake a project -by- project analysis that is consistent with available guidance and current CEQA practice to ascertain project impacts under CEQA. As such, for the determination of whether or not the project will generate GHG emissions, either directly or indirectly, that may have a significant effect on the environment, the overall AB 32 target reduction goal of 28.5% below BAU at year 2020 threshold will be used. Impacts and Mitigation Measures Would the Project. a. Generate greenhouse gas emissions, either directly or indirectly, that may have asignfIcant impact on the environment? Less - than - Significant Impact with Mitigation Incorporated. Construction of the proposed project would generate GHG emissions through the use of onsite heavy -duty construction equipment and offsite vehicle trips generated from construction workers, as well as haul /delivery trucks that travel to and from the project site. Mobile source emissions would result from the use of construction equipment such as graders, scrapers, bulldozers, wheeled loaders, cranes, etc. Construction of the proposed project would take approximately 22 months to complete. Operation of the proposed project is expected to result in emissions of GHG emissions related to vehicular, trips (i.e., mobile- source emissions) and energy consumption related to building illumination, heating and cooling, and water conveyance and treatment. The Bat Nha Buddhist Meditation Center 3-41 June 2013 Initial Study /Mitigated Negative Declaration ICF 00215.12 31 C -94