TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section Page

ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ........................................................................................................................ vi

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................................................................................................... ES-1

Introduction................................................................................................................................ ES-1
Summary Description of the Proposed Project........................................................................ ES-1
Environmental Impacts and Recommended Mitigation Measures ........................................ ES-4
Summary of Alternatives ........................................................................................................... ES-4
Areas of Controversy ................................................................................................................. ES-6

1 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................... 1-1

1.1 Purpose and Intended Uses of this Draft EIR ............................................................................ 1-1
1.2 Scope of Environmental Analysis ............................................................................................... 1-2
1.3 Agency Roles and Responsibliities ............................................................................................. 1-2
1.4 Public Review Process ................................................................................................................ 1-3
1.5 Public Review of this Draft EIR ................................................................................................... 1-5
1.6 Final EIR ....................................................................................................................................... 1-5
1.7 Organization of this Draft EIR ..................................................................................................... 1-6

2 PROJECT DESCRIPTION ......................................................................................................................... 2-1

2.1 Project Background and Need .................................................................................................... 2-1
2.2 Project Objectives ........................................................................................................................ 2-1
2.3 Project Location ........................................................................................................................... 2-2
2.4 Project Description ...................................................................................................................... 2-2
2.5 Required discretionary Actions and Permit ............................................................................. 2-12

3 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES................................................................... 3-1

3.1 Aesthetics.................................................................................................................................. 3.1-1
3.2 Forestry Resources ................................................................................................................... 3.2-1
3.3 Air Quality .................................................................................................................................. 3.3-1
3.4 Biological Resources ................................................................................................................ 3.4-1
3.5 Cultural and Tribal Cultural Resources ................................................................................... 3.5-1
3.6 Energy........................................................................................................................................ 3.6-1
3.7 Geology and Soils ..................................................................................................................... 3.7-1
3.8 Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Climate Change .................................................................. 3.8-1
3.9 Hazards and Hazardous Materials .......................................................................................... 3.9-1
3.10 Hydrology and Water Quality ................................................................................................. 3.10-1
3.11 Land Use ................................................................................................................................ 3.11-1
3.12 Noise and Vibration ............................................................................................................... 3.12-1
3.13 Public Services and Recreation ............................................................................................ 3.13-1
3.14 Transportation ....................................................................................................................... 3.14-1
3.15 Utilities and Service Systems................................................................................................ 3.15-1

4 CUMULATIVE IMPACTS........................................................................................................................... 4-1

4.1 Introduction to the Cumulative Analysis .................................................................................... 4-1
4.2 Geographic Scope of the Cumulative Analysis and Related Plans .......................................... 4-1

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5 ALTERNATIVES ....................................................................................................................................... 5-1

5.1 Introduction to Alternatives ........................................................................................................ 5-1
5.2 Considerations for Selection of Alternatives.............................................................................. 5-2
5.3 Alternatives Selected for Detailed Analysis ............................................................................... 5-3
5.4 Environmentally Superior Alternative ....................................................................................... 5-14

6 OTHER SECTIONS REQUIRED BY STATUTE ........................................................................................... 6-1

6.1 Significant and Unavoidable Adverse Impacts .......................................................................... 6-1
6.2 Significant and Irreversible Environmental Changes ................................................................ 6-1
6.3 Growth Inducement ..................................................................................................................... 6-2

7 REPORT PREPARERS ............................................................................................................................. 7-1

8 REFERENCES ......................................................................................................................................... 8-1

Appendices (included in a CD on back cover)

Appendix A – NOP and Comments
Appendix B – Air Quality, Greenhouse Gas, and Energy Calculations
Appendix C – Greenhouse Gas Directive
Appendix D – Noise Calculations
Appendix E – Traffic Impact Analysis Report

Exhibits
Exhibit 2-1 Proposed Love’s Truck Stop Location Map – Weed, California .................................................... 2-3
Exhibit 2-2 Project Site ......................................................................................................................................... 2-4
Exhibit 2-3 Site Plan.............................................................................................................................................. 2-5
Exhibit 2-4 Proposed Storm Drain Pipe .............................................................................................................. 2-9
Exhibit 2-5 Adopted 2040 General Plan Land Use Map for South Weed Growth Area ............................... 2-11

Exhibit 3.1-1 Key Viewpoints ...................................................................................................................................... 5

Exhibit 3.1-2 Viewpoint 1, Existing....................................................................................................................... 3.1-6
Exhibit 3.1-3 Viewpoint 2, Existing....................................................................................................................... 3.1-6
Exhibit 3.1-4 Viewpoint 1, Existing and Proposed........................................................................................... 3.1-10
Exhibit 3.1-5 Viewpoint 2, Existing and Proposed........................................................................................... 3.1-11

Exhibit 3.4-1 Habitat ............................................................................................................................................. 3.4-8

Exhibit 3.10-1 Watersheds .................................................................................................................................. 3.10-6

Exhibit 3.10-2 Hydrology ...................................................................................................................................... 3.10-8

Exhibit 3.12-1 Sensitive Receptor Locations ..................................................................................................... 3.12-8

Exhibit 3.14-1 Project Vicinity Map ..................................................................................................................... 3.14-5

Exhibit 3.14-2 Existing Lane Geometrics, Control, and Peak Hour Traffic Volumes ...................................... 3.14-7
Exhibit 3.14-3 Existing Bike Facilities ............................................................................................................... 3.14-11
Exhibit 3.14-4 Proposed Bike Facilities ............................................................................................................ 3.14-12
Exhibit 3.14-5 Project Trip Distribution............................................................................................................. 3.14-16
Exhibit 3.14-6 Existing Plus Project Geometrics and Control and Peak Hour Traffic Volumes................... 3.14-19
Exhibit 3.14-7 Land Use Map for Commercial and Residential (Low and Medium) Growth....................... 3.14-24
Exhibit 3.14-8 Cumulative No Project Lane Geometrics and Control and Peak Hour Traffic Volumes ..... 3.14-26
Exhibit 3.14-9 Cumulative Plus Project Lane Geometrics and Control and Peak Hour Traffic Volumes ... 3.14-29

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Exhibit 3.15-1 City of Weed Water and Wastewater Facilities ......................................................................... 3.15-5
Exhibit 3.15-2 Proposed Sanitary Sewer Main Connection.............................................................................. 3.15-9
Exhibit 3.15-3 Proposed Water Main Relocation ............................................................................................ 3.15-11

Tables
Table 1-1 Written and Verbal Public Scoping Comments ............................................................................... 1-4

Table 2-1 Summary of Proposed On-Site Uses .............................................................................................. 2-10

Table 2-2 Anticipated Construction Phasing .................................................................................................. 2-10

Table 3.3-1 National and California Ambient Air Quality Standards .............................................................. 3.3-2
Table 3.3-2 Sources and Health Effects of Criteria Air Pollutants.................................................................. 3.3-7
Table 3.3-3 Attainment Status Designations for Siskiyou County.................................................................. 3.3-8
Table 3.3-4 Summary of Annual Data on Ambient Air Quality (2014–2016) ............................................... 3.3-9
Table 3.3-5 Summary of Maximum Daily Emissions of Criteria Air Pollutants and Precursors
Associated with Project Construction (2019) ........................................................................... 3.3-12
Table 3.3-6 Summary of Annual Emissions of Criteria Air Pollutants and Precursors at Full
Buildout (2020) ........................................................................................................................... 3.3-13

Table 3.4-1 Habitat Types within the Project Site ............................................................................................ 3.4-7
Table 3.4-2 Special Status Plant Species Known to Occur in the Project Region and their
Potential for Occurrence in the Project Site .............................................................................. 3.4-10
Table 3.4-3 Special Status Animal Species Known to Occur in the Project Region and their
Potential for Occurrence in the Project Site .............................................................................. 3.4-15
Table 3.4-4 Normal Blooming Period for Special-Status Plants with Potential to Occur on the
Project Site ................................................................................................................................... 3.4-18

Table 3.6-1 Construction Energy Consumption ............................................................................................... 3.6-7

Table 3.6-2 Operational Energy Consumption ................................................................................................. 3.6-7
Table 3.6-3 Gasoline and Diesel Consumption in 2020 ................................................................................. 3.6-8

Table 3.7-1 Summary of Soil Characteristics ................................................................................................... 3.7-5

Table 3.8-1 City of Weed Communitywide Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory (2014) ....................... 3.8-10
Table 3.8-2 Project-Generated Greenhouse Gas Emissions ....................................................................... 3.8-15

Table 3.12-1 Typical A-Weighted Noise Levels ................................................................................................ 3.12-2

Table 3.12-2 Suggested Exterior Noise Levels Considered Compatible for Various Uses .......................... 3.12-6
Table 3.12-3 Land Use Compatibility for Exterior Community Noise ............................................................ 3.12-7
Table 3.12-4 Summary of Modeled Existing Traffic Noise Levels ................................................................. 3.12-9
Table 3.12-5 Noise Emission Levels from Construction Equipment ........................................................... 3.12-12
Table 3.12-6 Noise Exposure at Off-Site Noise-Sensitive Receptors from Typical Daytime
Construction Activity .................................................................................................................. 3.12-13
Table 3.12-7 Summary of Modeled Traffic Noise Levels under Existing and Existing -Plus-Project
Conditions................................................................................................................................... 3.12-14
Table 3.12-8 Levels of Noise Exposure at Off-Site Noise-Sensitive Receptors during Operational
Non-Transportation Activity....................................................................................................... 3.12-16
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Table 3.14-1 Intersection Level of Service Definitions ................................................................................... 3.14-6

Table 3.14-2 Intersection Operations – Existing Conditions .......................................................................... 3.14-8
Table 3.14-3 Existing Conditions Queueing Analysis ...................................................................................... 3.14-9
Table 3.14-4 Project Trip Generation ............................................................................................................. 3.14-14
Table 3.14-5 Intersection Operations – Existing Plus Project Conditions .................................................. 3.14-20
Table 3.14-6 Existing plus Project Conditions Queueing Analysis ............................................................... 3.14-22
Table 3.14-7 Intersection Operations – Cumulative No Project Conditions ............................................... 3.14-27
Table 3.14-8 Cumulative Queueing Analysis ................................................................................................. 3.14-27
Table 3.14-9 Intersection Operations – Cumulative Plus Project Conditions ............................................ 3.14-30
Table 3.14-10 Year 2040 Base plus Project Queueing Analysis ................................................................... 3.14-30

Table 4-1 Population .......................................................................................................................................... 4-2

Table 5-1 Comparison of Environmental Effects of the Alternatives Relative to the

Proposed Project.............................................................................................................................. 5-15

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Ascent Environmental Administrative Draft – For Internal Review and Deliberation Acronyms and Abbreviations

ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

°C degrees Celsius
°F degrees Fahrenheit
µg/m3 micrograms per cubic meter
2017 Scoping Plan California’s 2017 Climate Change Scoping Plan

AB Assembly Bill
AB 939 California Integrated Waste Management Act of 1989
ADWF average dry weather flow

BMP best management practice

CA SDWA California Safe Drinking Water Act

CAA federal Clean Air Act
CAAA federal Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990
CAAQS California ambient air quality standards
CAFE Corporate Average Fuel Economy
cal BP calibrated years before present
CAL FIRE California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
Cal/OSHA California Occupational Safety and Health Administration
CalEEMod California Emissions Estimator Model
CalRecycle the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery
Caltrans California Department of Transportation
CA-MUTCD 2014 California Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices
CAPCOA California Air Pollution Control Officers Association
CARB California Air Resources Board
CBC California Building Code
CCAA California Clean Air Act
CCR California Code of Regulations
CDFW California Department of Fish and Wildlife
CEC California Energy Commission
CEQA California Environmental Quality Act
CESA California Endangered Species Act
CFR Code of Federal Regulations
CGS California Geological Survey
CNDDB California Natural Diversity Database
CNEL community noise equivalent level
CNPS California Native Plant Society
CO carbon monoxide
CO2 carbon dioxide
CO2e CO2-equivalent
CRHR California Register of Historical Resources
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CRPR California Rare Plant Rank

CWA Clean Water Act

dB decibels
diesel PM particulate matter exhaust from diesel engines
DOT U.S. Department of Transportation
DTSC California Department of Toxic Substances Control
DWR California Department of Water Resources

EIR environmental impact report

EO Executive Order
EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
EPAct Energy Policy Act of 1992
ESA Endangered Species Act

FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency

FHSZ fire hazard severity zone
FICAN Federal Interagency Committee on Aviation Noise
FIRM Flood Insurance Rate Map

GHG greenhouse gas

HAP hazardous air pollutant

HMBEP Hazardous Materials Business Emergency/Contingency Plan
Hot Spots Act Air Toxics Hot Spots Information and Assessment Act of 1987
Hz hertz

I-5 Interstate 5
IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

lb/day pounds per day

LCFS Low Carbon Fuel Standard
Ldn day-night level
Leq equivalent continuous sound level
Lmax maximum sound level
LOS level of service
Love’s Love’s Travel Stops and County Stores

Master Plan Weed Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan

MBTA Migratory Bird Treaty Act
MCL maximum contaminant level
mgd million gallons per day
MMT million metric tons
MND mitigated negative declaration
mPa micro-Pascals
mpg miles per gallon
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mph miles per hour

MPO metropolitan planning organization
MRZ Mineral Resource Zone
MTCO2e metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent

NAAQS national ambient air quality standards

NAHC Native American Heritage Commission
NEHRP National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program
NEIC Northeast Information Center
NFIP National Flood Insurance Program
NHTSA National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
NO nitric oxide
NO2 nitrogen dioxide
NOP Notice of Preparation
NOX oxides of nitrogen
NPAB Northeast Plateau Air Basin
NPDES National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
NPPA Native Plant Protection Act
NRCS Natural Resources Conservation Service
NRHP National Register of Historic Places

OEHHA Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment

OES Office of Emergency Services
OPR Governor’s Office of Planning and Research
OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Administration

PM10 and PM2.5 respirable and fine particulate matter

Porter-Cologne Act Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act of 1970
ppm parts per million
PPV peak particle velocity
PRC Public Resources Code
project Love’s Travel Stop project
Providers refiners, blenders, producers, or importers
PWWF peak wet weather flow

REC recognized environmental condition

RMS root-mean-square
ROG reactive organic gases
RPS renewable portfolio standard
RWQCB regional water quality control board

SAF Plan State Alternative Fuels Plan

SB Senate Bill
SCAPCD Siskiyou County Air Pollution Control District
SCS Sustainable Communities Strategy

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sf square feet
SGMA Sustainable Groundwater Management Act
SGMA Sustainable Groundwater Management Act of 2014
SMAQMD Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District
SO2 sulfur dioxide
SPL sound pressure level
SSMP 2013 Sewer System Management Plan
STAGE Siskiyou Transit and General Express
SWPPP storm water pollution prevention plan
SWRCB California State Water Resources Control Board
SWRCB-DDW State Water Resources Control Board Division of Drinking Water

TAC toxic air contaminant

T-BACT best available control technology for toxics
TMDL total maximum daily load

USACE US Army Corp of Engineers

USC U.S. Code
USFWS US Fish and Wildlife Service
USGS U.S. Geological Survey
UST underground storage tank
UWMP urban water management plan
UWMPA Urban Water Management Planning Act

VdB vibration decibels

VMT vehicle miles traveled

WQO Water Quality Objectives

WRCC Western Regional Climate Center
WWTP wastewater treatment plant

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