Level II Correctional Facilities Project, Mule Creek State Prison Infill Site - July 2017 Addendum to the Subsequent Environmental Impact Report

Level II Correctional Facilities Project, Mule Creek State Prison Infill Site - July 2017 Addendum to the Subsequent Environmental Impact Report

The CDCR has prepared, considered, and accepted an addendum to the certified 2015 SEIR for the Level II Infill Correctional Facilities Project. The original project EIR certified in 2013, evaluated an alternative option for disposal of secondary effluent generated by the Level II Infill Correctional Facilities at Mule Creek State Prison (MCSP). Under that option, secondary effluent would be sent from the project facilities MCSP to 100-acres of non-irrigated agricultural land west of Ione. The subject farm land, known as Woodard Bottom, is part of the Greenrock Ranch. Implementation of this plan was suspended when more detailed analysis concluded that construction of a significant portion of a new pipeline between prison grounds and the Woodard Bottom site was impractical due to land-use and environmental resource constraints. In 2015, the plan for providing a connection to Woodard Bottom from Prison grounds was revised to utilize an existing pipeline between Preston Reservoir and the Castle Oaks Tertiary Plant. Engineering studies confirmed that pipe had sufficient excess capacity to allow conveyance of additional effluent to a point near the tertiary plant where a new section of pipeline would be extended to the Woodard Bottom site. The environmental effects of using the existing pipeline were fully evaluated in the 2015 SEIR. This July 2017 Addendum addresses minor modification to the Woodard Bottom alternative. The modifications to this alternative consist of the following change in construction methodology and project elements identified as a result of more detailed engineering planning. CDCR now plans to change the project design regarding placement of an approx. 1,800 linear foot section of pipeline where it crosses an area of pasture and oak woodland. CDCR has re-designed the method of placement of this section of pipeline to be installed below grade, instead of the previous above-grade design. This project change would result in a smaller area of construction disturbance. More detailed construction planning also resulted in the need to include a small (approx. 3 million gallon) lined secondary effluent regulating pond; the development of a small, unpaved, access road from Brubeck Road to the edge of the farm field; and refinement of construction laydown and equipment staging areas. Finally, CDCR will be installing additional disinfection mechanical equipment with the City of Ione's wastewater treatment plant as an element of the project. This disinfection equipment will assure that all secondary effluent conveyed to the Woodard Bottom farm field fully complies with state Title 22 water quality standards for the irrigation of fodder crops. No other changes to the scope of the MCSP infill site described in the 2015 SEIR have been made to the project.

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