Noise and Air Quality - the City of Lompoc!

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City of Lompoc General Plan UpdateIssue Paper on Noise and Air Quality IssuesGlobal Climate Change. Global climate change (GCC) refers to a change in the averageweather of the earth which can be measured by wind patterns, storms, precipitation, andtemperature. The impact of anthropogenic activities on GCC is evident in the scientificcorrelation between rising global temperatures, atmospheric concentrations of CO 2 and othergreenhouse gases (GHGs), and the industrial revolution 1 .The greenhouse effect is a natural process by which some of the radiant heat from the sun iscaptured in the lower atmosphere of the earth. The gases that help capture the heat are calledGHGs. While GHGs are not normally considered air pollutants, all have been identified asforcing the earth’s atmosphere and oceans to warm above naturally occurring temperatures.Some GHGs occur naturally in the atmosphere, while others result from human activities.Naturally occurring GHGs include water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide andozone. Certain human activities add to the levels of most of these naturally occurring gases.Of all the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, water vapor is the most abundant and variable.The main source of water vapor is evaporation from the oceans (approximately 85%). Othersources include evaporation from other water bodies, sublimation (change from solid to gas)from ice and snow, and transpiration from plant leaves. The primary human-related source ofwater vapor comes from fuel combustion in motor vehicles. However, this is believed tocontribute a negligible amount (less than 1%) to atmospheric concentrations of water vapor. Asa result, the control and reduction of water vapor emissions is not within reach of humanactions, and is therefore excluded from regulation under California law.The second most prevalent GHG is carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). Natural sources of CO 2 include:decomposition of dead organic matter; respiration of bacteria, plants, animals, and fungus;evaporation from oceans; and volcanic outgassing. However, in contrast to water vapor, CO 2 isprimarily generated by anthropogenic (human caused) sources, including burning coal, oil,natural gas and wood.After CO 2, the GHGs over which humans have the greatest control are methane (CH 4 ) andnitrous oxide (N 2 O). CH 4 is a flammable gas and is the main component of natural gas. Naturalsources of CH 4 include anaerobic decay of organic matter and natural gas fields; anthropogenicsources include landfills, fermentation of manure, and cattle. N 2 O is produced by microbialprocesses in soils and water, including those reactions which occur in fertilizer containingnitrogen. Anthropogenic sources of N 2 O include agricultural soil management, animal manuremanagement, sewage treatment, and mobile and stationary combustion of fossil fuel. Reducingemissions from CO 2, CH 4 and N 2 O is the focus of state GHG regulations.In June 2005, Governor Schwarzenegger signed Executive Order S-3-05, acknowledging theenvironmental impacts of greenhouse gas emissions on climate change. The Executive Orderestablished the following climate change emission reduction targets for California:1 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Climate Change 2001: The Scientific Basis.Cambridge University Press, 2001.4City of Lompoc
City of Lompoc General Plan UpdateIssue Paper on Noise and Air Quality Issues• By 2010, reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 2000 levels.• By 2020, reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels.• By 2050, reduce greenhouse gas emission to 80 percent below 1990 levels.In response to the Executive Order, Cal/EPA established the Climate Action Team to developstrategies for reducing climate change emissions in the State. In March 2006, Cal/EPA releaseda document called the Climate Action Team Report to Governor Schwarzenegger andLegislature. The Report provides suggested strategies for reducing climate change emissionsthat would be implemented by State agencies over the next 2 years. It is a guidance documentto be used by the identified State agencies in developing statewide programs for reducingclimate change emissions.The Executive Order also directed the California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal/EPA) tocoordinate efforts among State agencies to meet these targets. As part of this directive, in 2006the California State Legislature adopted AB 32, the California Global Warming Solutions Act of2006, which the Governor signed on September 27, 2006. AB 32 represents the firstenforceable statewide program to limit GHG emissions from all major industries with penaltiesfor noncompliance. It requires Cal/EPA to lead the evaluation of California’s impacts on climatechange and identify mitigation strategies to reduce emissions and adaptive measures tominimize adverse effects of climate change. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) hasbeen assigned to carry out and develop the programs and requirements necessary to achievethe goals of AB 32. By January 2008, a statewide cap for 2020 emissions based on 1990 levelsmust be adopted. The following year (January 2009), CARB must adopt mandatory reportingrules for major sources of GHGs and also a plan indicating how reductions in significant GHGsources will be achieved through regulations, market mechanisms, and other actions.Relationship to the General PlanNoiseNoise is of special concern to the State with respect to General Plans. It is one of the seventopics required to be addressed in a specific Element under state planning law. The State Officeof Planning and Research Noise Element Guidelines require that major noise sources beidentified and quantified through the preparation of generalized noise contours for current andprojected conditions. This is intended to guide the land use pattern in order to minimize thecommunity’s exposure to current noise issues, as well as shield the community from noisecreated by future development. Land use changes identified in the Housing Element and LandUse Element can result in noise increases directly (e.g., from zoning of additional industrialnoise sources) and indirectly (e.g., from vehicle trips associated with future development). Inaddition, transportation improvements identified in the Circulation Element (e.g., road wideningsor extensions) could bring traffic noise sources closer to existing or planned receptors. TheNoise Element acts in concert with these elements to ensure that City noise standards are metthroughout the General Plan buildout period. It should be noted that the first phase of theGeneral Plan Update process includes updating the Housing, Land Use, and CirculationElements, and the subsequent phase includes updating the Noise Element. The EnvironmentalImpact Report for the first phase element will identify noise impacts associated with updated5City of Lompoc
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