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Environmental Checklist Air Quality Draft Initial Study – Mitigated Negative Declaration 25 3 Air Quality Potentially Significant Impact Less than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated Less-than- Significant Impact No Impact Would the project: a. Conflict with or obstruct implementation of the applicable air quality plan? □ □ ■ □ b. 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? □ ■ □ □ c. Expose sensitive receptors to substantial pollutant concentrations? □ □ ■ □ d. Result in other emissions (such as those leading to odors) adversely affecting a substantial number of people? □ □ ■ □ Information in this section is based on the Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Impacts Report prepared for the project by FirstCarbon Solutions in August 2022. This report was peer reviewed by Rincon Consultants in October 2022, and FirstCarbon Solutions prepared a revised report in April 2023. Rincon Consultants also prepared updated air quality modeling in September 2023. The revised Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Impacts Report, peer review memorandum, and updated air quality modeling are included as Appendix B. Overview of Air Pollution The federal and State Clean Air Acts (CAA) mandate the control and reduction of certain air pollutants. Under these laws, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) have established the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and the California Ambient Air Quality Standards (CAAQS) for “criteria pollutants” and other pollutants. Some pollutants are emitted directly from a source (e.g., vehicle tailpipe, an exhaust stack of a factory, etc.) into the atmosphere, including carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds (VOC)/reactive organic gases (ROG),1 nitrogen oxides (NOX), particulate matter with diameters of ten microns or less (PM10) and 2.5 microns or less (PM2.5), sulfur dioxide, and lead. Other pollutants are created indirectly through chemical reactions in the atmosphere, such as ozone, which is created by atmospheric chemical and photochemical reactions primarily between ROG and NOX. Secondary pollutants include oxidants, ozone, and sulfate and nitrate particulates (smog). 1 CARB defines VOC and ROG similarly as, “any compound of carbon excluding carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, carbonic acid, metallic carbides or carbonates, and ammonium carbonate,” with the exception that VOC are compounds that participate in atmospheric photochemical reactions. For the purposes of this analysis, ROG and VOC are considered comparable in terms of mass emissions, and the term ROG is used in this IS-MND.