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Significance Thresholds Air quality impacts would be significant if they would exceed the following thresholds of significance, which are based on Appendix G of the CEQA Guidelines and the May 2017 BAAQMD CEQA Air Quality Guidelines:  Conflict with or obstruct implementation of the applicable air quality plan;  Violate any air quality standard or contribute substantially to an existing or projected air quality violation;  Result in a cumulatively considerable net increase of any criteria pollutant for which the project region is non-attainment under an applicable federal or State ambient air quality standard (including releasing emissions which exceed qualitative thresholds for ozone precursors);  Expose sensitive receptors to substantial pollutant concentrations; and/or  Create objectionable odors affecting a substantial number of people. Short-Term Emissions The BAAQMD’s 2017 CEQA Air Quality Guidelines have no plan-level significance thresholds for construction air pollutants emissions. However, they do include individual project-level thresholds for temporary construction-related and long-term operational emissions of air pollutants. These thresholds represent the levels at which a project’s individual emissions of criteria air pollutants or precursors would result in a cumulatively considerable contribution to the Basin‘s existing air quality conditions (BAAQMD 2017). Long-Term Emissions The BAAQMD’s 2017 CEQA Air Quality Guidelines contain specific operational plan-level significance thresholds for criteria air pollutants. Plans must show the following over the planning period:  Consistency with current air quality plan control measures  VMT or vehicle trips (VT) increase is less than or equal to the Specific Plan’s projected population increase If a plan can demonstrate consistency with both of these criteria then impacts are considered less than significant. Methodology for Estimating Emissions SHORT-TERM EMISSIONS Construction-related emissions are generally short-term in duration, but may still cause adverse air quality impacts. Potential demolition of the existing 161,000 square feet of retail space and construction of development proposed in the Specific Plan would generate temporary emissions from three primary sources: the operation of construction vehicles (e.g., scrapers, loaders, dump trucks, etc.); ground disturbance during site preparation and grading, which creates fugitive dust; and the application of asphalt, paint, or other oil-based substances. Development associated with implementation of the proposed Specific Plan would result in temporary construction-related and long-term operational emissions. At this time, there are no specific projects associated with the proposed Specific Plan. Therefore, projects are not defined to a 148