Southeast Resource Recovery Facility Demolition – Harbor Development Permit No. 25-025
Summary
SCH Number
2025070541
Public Agency
Port of Long Beach
Document Title
Southeast Resource Recovery Facility Demolition – Harbor Development Permit No. 25-025
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
7/14/2025
Document Description
Demolish the decommissioned and vacant waste-to-energy Southeast Resource Recovery Facility to grade, and remove all above-ground structures and underground storage tanks. No new development, operations, or new land uses are being proposed.
Contact Information
Name
Jennifer Blanchard
Agency Name
Port of Long Beach
Job Title
Environmental Specialist
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Name
Jane Hermsen
Agency Name
City of Long Beach
Job Title
Manager
Contact Types
Project Applicant
Phone
Location
Counties
Los Angeles
Regions
Citywide
Other Location Info
118 - 120 Pier S Avenue; Harbor Planning District 4 – Terminal Island
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Section 15269(c) Emergency Project
Reasons for Exemption
CEQA Guidelines provides statutory exemptions that exclude emergency projects from environmental review, regardless of impacts to the environment, if they meet the definition of the statutory exemption. Emergency projects include specific actions necessary to prevent or mitigate an emergency. CEQA defines an “emergency” as a sudden, unexpected occurrence, involving a clear and imminent danger, demanding immediate action to prevent or mitigate loss of, or damage to life, health, property, or essential public services. “Emergency” includes such occurrences as fire, flood, earthquake, or other soil or geologic movements, as well as such occurrences as riot, accident, or sabotage. Emergency demolition of the decommissioned and vacant waste-to-energy Southeast Resource Recovery Facility (SERRF) including removal of all above-ground structures and underground storage tanks qualifies for the emergency exemption because, despite security and monitoring efforts, the decommissioned and vacant SERRF poses an imminent danger to public health and safety if it remains in-place. Based on previous emergency situations created by other vacant city-owned buildings, the SERRF is vulnerable to intrusion, unauthorized occupancy, public health hazards such as accumulation of debris and human waste, accidental fires, arson, sabotage, and other public nuisance and criminal activity such as copper theft, which can pose serious risks of electrocution and fire. Therefore, the Project is statutorily exempt from CEQA as an emergency project under State CEQA Guidelines Section 15269(c) due to evidence that despite being locked, secured, and monitored, vacant City-owned structures are vulnerable to emergency situations such as fires, hazardous waste accumulation, theft, trespassing, sabotage and damage.
County Clerk
Los Angeles
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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