ReGen Monterey CASP Facility Project

2025050902

Monterey Regional Waste Management District

NOE - Notice of Exemption

5/21/2025

5/21/2025

Caty O'Connor

Monterey Regional Waste Management District

Associate Engineer

Lead/Public Agency

14201 Del Monte Blvd.
Salinas, CA 93908

(831) 264-6380

coconnor@regenmonterey.org

Highway 1

93908

CA

Salina

Categorical Exemption

15301(b), 15302(c)

qualifies under the "common sense" exemption. Reasons Why the Project is Categorically Exempt Article 19 (Categorical Exemptions) of the CEQA Guidelines lists classes of projects that are exempt from the requirements of CEQA. This section provides an analysis of why this project meets the conditions for a Section 15301(b) Class 1 Existing Facilities exemption and a Section 15302(c) Class 2 Replacement or Construction exemption, with the reasons why none of the possible exceptions to Categorical Exemptions, found in Section 15300.2 Exceptions, apply to this proposed project. Section 15301, Existing Facilities, consists of: Class 1 consists of the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or other minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of existing or former use. The types of "existing facilities" itemized be low are not intended to be all-inclusive of the types of projects which might fall within Class 1. The key consideration is whether the project involves negligible or no expansion of use. Examples listed in Section 15301 consist of: Existing facilities of both investor and publicly owned utilities used to provide electric power, natural gas, sewerage, or other public utility services.! Section 15302, Replacement or Reconstruction, consists of: Class 2 cònsists of replacement or reconstruction of existing structures and facilities where the new structure will be located on the same site as the structure replaced and will have substantially the same purpose and capacity as the structure replaced. Examples listed in Section 15302 consist of: Replacement or reconstruction of existing utility systems and/or facilities involving negligible or no expansion of capacity.2 Categorical Exemption Analysis The proposed project meets these conditions. The project site contains an existing permitted composting facility. The proposed project is categorically exempt from environmental review under CEQA because it involves the conversion of the operational method of the existing compost facility from the "Open Windrow" method to the CASP method with negligible or no expansion of existing or former use in accordance with Section 15301(b), and is located on the same site as the structure replaced or reconstructed with the same purpose and capacity in accordance with Section 15302(c).

Other

15061(b)(3)

In addition, under CEQA Guidelines section 15061(b)(3), Review for Exemption (14 CCR Sec. 15061(b)(3)), activities are exempt from, and otherwise not subject to, CEQA under the "common sense" exemption where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment. Therefore, the proposed project also qualifies under the "common sense" exemption.