Chapter 7 Other CEQA/NEPA Considerations

California High-Speed Rail Authority November 2017 

Fresno to Bakersfield Section Page | 7-1 

Draft Supplemental EIR/EIS

7 OTHER CEQA/NEPA CONSIDERATIONS

This chapter describes any unavoidable adverse, potentially significant impacts resulting from 

implementation of the Fresno to Bakersfield Section of the California high-speed rail (HSR) 

project, not limited to the proposed Fresno to Bakersfield Locally Generated Alternative (F-B 

LGA). It also describes the relationship between short-term uses of the environment and longterm productivity. This chapter discusses significant irreversible or irretrievable commitments of 

resources or foreclosures of future options that implementing the Fresno to Bakersfield Section 

HSR, not limited to the proposed F-B LGA would create. This chapter is based on the detailed 

analysis of environmental resources of concern presented in Chapter 3, Affected Environment, 

Environmental Consequences, and Mitigation Measures. 

7.1 Unavoidable Adverse Potentially Significant Impacts

Chapter 2, F-B LGA Description, explains how the agencies have used the tiered project 

development and environmental review process to design the HSR System, the Fresno to 

Bakersfield Section, and the proposed F-B LGA, in a manner that avoids and minimizes impacts. 

Chapter 3 describes the potential environmental consequences of developing the F-B LGA. 

Project design features were identified to avoid or reduce potential adverse impacts and 

additional mitigation measures were prescribed for significant adverse impacts as applicable 

specifically for the F-B LGA. In some cases, the mitigation would not reduce the impact’s severity 

to a less-than-significant level under CEQA. The impacts that cannot be mitigated to a less-thansignificant level are the following1

: 

• Noise Effects. The Fresno to Bakersfield project section of the HSR would have significant

and unavoidable noise impacts to sensitive receptors. Likewise, even after mitigation, the F-B

LGA would have significant and unavoidable operations impacts on sensitive receptors such

as schools, churches, and residences within 2,500 feet of the F-B LGA Alignment, particularly

in the high-density urban areas of Shafter and Bakersfield. Additionally, there would be

vibration impacts on 18 of the 80 receivers located within 275 feet of the alignment.

• Socioeconomics and Communities. The Fresno to Bakersfield project section of the HSR

would have significant and unavoidable impacts to socioeconomics and communities.

However, the F-B LGA impacts would be less than significant.

• Station Area and Land Use Impacts. The Fresno to Bakersfield project section of the HSR

would have significant and unavoidable land use impacts. However, the F-B LGA impacts

would be less than significant.

• Aesthetic Impacts. The Fresno to Bakersfield project section of the HSR, including the F-B

LGA, would result in significant and unavoidable aesthetic impacts. With implementation of

mitigation, adverse effects associated with construction activities and the introduction of

prominent HSR structures would be mitigated to the extent feasible. These mitigation

measures identify responsible parties (the project contractor and the Authority) for each

project stage (pre-construction, construction, and post-construction/operation) to ensure that

the requirements are appropriately implemented. The mitigation measures would minimize or

avoid significant adverse aesthetic impacts to the extent feasible; however, adverse impacts

to visual quality related to the introduction of permanent physical infrastructure, particularly

HSR guideways with elevated structures, raised embankments, and retaining walls, and

associated overpasses, would remain.

• Environmental Justice. The Fresno to Bakersfield project section of the HSR, including the

F-B LGA, would have significant and unavoidable impacts to environmental justice

populations. As many minority and low-income populations reside in the urban areas of

Shafter and Bakersfield where other reasonably foreseeable construction projects will also

1 As this chapter describes impacts of the Fresno to Bakersfield Section of the HSR project, including but not 

limited to the F-B LGA, potentially significant impacts from the Fresno to Bakersfield Section have been 

included here in addition to F-B LGA impacts.
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occur, there are likely to be disproportionately high and adverse cumulative construction 

effects experienced by these populations. Mitigation measures that will be implemented will 

not completely eliminate the adverse impacts to the low-income and minority populations and 

when considered with other reasonably foreseeable projects in the area, these populations 

are likely to bear a disproportionate burden of the cumulative construction period impacts. 

During F-B LGA operation, despite the project benefits experienced by low-income and 

minority populations including the reduction in regional air pollution, a reduction in traffic 

congestion, and long-term regional economic benefits, minority and low-income populations 

concentrated in urban areas along the project area in Shafter and Bakersfield, as well as in 

rural areas such as Oildale, would also bear disproportionately high and adverse operational

impacts. These impacts would include an increase in both ambient noise levels and vibratory 

impacts above standards; disruption of communities and the displacement of community 

facilities; changes, or loss of park resources; decreases in visual quality; and cumulative 

impacts for noise and vibration, communities, and aesthetics and visual resources.

• Agricultural Lands. Similar to the Fresno to Bakersfield Section, including the May 2014

Project, the F-B LGA would result in the permanent conversion of agricultural land to nonagricultural use, including Prime Farmland and full and partial acquisitions of parcels under

Williamson Act contract. These impacts would remain significant after mitigation. The F-B

LGA would convert 372 acres of Important Farmland and 18 acres of Williamson Act lands to

non-agricultural use.

7.2 Relationship between Short-Term Use of the Environment and the 

Enhancement of Long-Term Productivity

Developing the F-B LGA would require an investment of materials to create new transportation

infrastructure. This investment of materials is expected to include natural resources such as rock 

and aggregate (e.g., for alignment and other facility foundations), steel (e.g., for rail and catenary 

structures), other building materials, and the various structural components of the HSR trains. 

Fossil fuels would be consumed for project construction. In addition, the project would require 

conversion of land to accommodate the new transportation infrastructure. In many cases, the land 

has an economic use as productive farmland, urban and rural structures (including homes, 

businesses, and parks), and local roads and state highways. The consequences of these land 

conversions are described in Chapter 3 of this Draft Supplemental EIR/EIS.

As indicated in Chapter 1, Project Purpose, Need, and Objectives of the Fresno to Bakersfield 

Section Final EIR/EIS, the capacity of California’s intercity transportation system, including in the 

San Joaquin Valley, is insufficient to meet existing and future travel demand, and the current and 

projected future congestion of the system will continue to result in deteriorating air quality, 

reduced reliability, and increased travel times. The F-B LGA would provide benefits (such as 

increased safety, reduced pollutant emissions, and reduced greenhouse gases) and accessibility 

improvements (such as transit linkages from the Bakersfield area to the Bay Area, Sacramento, 

and Southern California). HSR service will provide linkages to a number of bus, light rail, and 

commuter rail services for intercity travelers to other areas. Because the HSR system would 

provide a new alternative to regional transportation options that consume fossil fuels (e.g., 

automotive trips and commercial air travel), and because the HSR system would be powered by 

electricity primarily generated by harnessing renewable resources (e.g., solar power, wind 

power), the F-B LGA would make an important contribution to greenhouse gas reduction efforts. 

As described in Section 3.18, Regional Growth of this Draft Supplemental EIR/EIS, the proposed 

HSR system, not limited to the F-B LGA, would provide direct and indirect economic benefits, 

including short- and long-term employment benefits. The HSR system would improve accessibility 

to labor and customer markets and induce regional job growth by providing a more attractive 

market for commercial and office development in the Bakersfield station areas. Regional job 

growth is expected to be primarily internal to Kern County (i.e., not by population shifts from the 

Bay Area and Southern California). Improved accessibility would increase the competitiveness of 

the San Joaquin Valley, as well as the state’s industries and overall economy. The benefits of the 
Chapter 7 Other CEQA/NEPA Considerations

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Fresno to Bakersfield Section Page | 7-3 

Draft Supplemental EIR/EIS

HSR project are described in more detail in Chapter 1 of the Fresno to Bakersfield Section Final 

EIR/EIS. 

7.3 Significant Irreversible Environmental Changes That Would Result 

from the F-B LGA Implementation

The F-B LGA would require the commitment of material and energy for construction and 

operation, and the commitment of land for HSR facilities. As previously described, the F-B LGA 

would require an investment of materials such as rock, aggregate, steel, and other building 

materials. Fossil fuels would be consumed for F-B LGA construction. In addition, the F-B LGA 

would require the conversion of land, including productive agricultural land, to accommodate the 

new transportation infrastructure (including stations and ancillary facilities). These environmental 

changes would be irreversible. The significance of these impacts is evaluated throughout 

Chapter 3 of this Draft Supplemental EIR/EIS. Overall, it is expected that residents and 

businesses in the region would benefit from the improved quality of the transportation system 

(e.g., improved accessibility, increased capacity, energy savings), which would outweigh the 

irreversible commitment of resources.
Chapter 7 Other CEQA/NEPA Considerations

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