PG&E East Campus Gas Line Replacement Project
Summary
SCH Number
2025101432
Public Agency
California State University Board of Trustees
Document Title
PG&E East Campus Gas Line Replacement Project
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
10/29/2025
Document Description
The proposed PG&E East Campus Gas Line Replacement project involves the replacement and upgrade of existing natural gas distribution infrastructure within the CSUMB East Campus Housing Area in unincorporated Monterey County, California. The project area includes Assessor’s Parcel Numbers (APNs) 031-101-031, 031-101-032, 031-171-033, and 031-181-056, and encompasses multiple residential streets within the East Campus Housing Area.
The project is part of Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s (PG&E) statewide initiative to replace aging Aldyl “A” plastic gas pipelines manufactured prior to 1973, which have a documented history of cracking and failure. The replacement program was initiated in response to safety concerns following a pipeline failure incident in Cupertino, California, in 2011.
The proposed project consists of replacing approximately 27,543 linear feet of existing gas distribution main and 390 service connections with new polyethylene plastic pipelines. Work would occur primarily within existing paved roadway corridors and disturbed areas using a combination of horizontal directional drilling (HDD) and open trenching construction methods to minimize surface disturbance. Construction activities would occur in multiple phases within the existing utility easements and rights-of-way. Please refer to Attachment A, CEQA Supporting Documentation, for additional project description information, available for review upon request at CSUMB’s Campus Planning and Development offices.
The purpose of the project is to reduce threats to the integrity of the natural gas distribution system, improve public safety, and enhance system reliability within the CSUMB East Campus Housing Area. The project would also ensure continued safe and efficient delivery of natural gas to residents and campus facilities and reduce the need for future emergency repairs and maintenance.
The beneficiaries of the project include Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) and residents of the CSUMB East Campus Housing Area on the California State University, Monterey Bay main campus. The project would provide long-term safety and reliability improvements to the local natural gas distribution system, consistent with PG&E’s ongoing efforts to modernize critical utility infrastructure across California. CSU discretionary action related to this project is limited to the issuance of a Right to Access permit and a Temporary Work Authorization permit to PG&E to allow it to carry out the proposed improvements on the CSUMB campus.
Contact Information
Name
Matthew McCluney
Agency Name
California State University, Monterey Bay
Job Title
Director of Campus Planning and Development
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Location
Counties
Monterey
Regions
Northern California
Cross Streets
Imjin Parkway and Inter-Garrison Road
Zip
93933
Parcel #
031-101-031, 031-101-032, 031-171-033, 031-181-056
State Highways
California State Route 1
Airports
Marina Municipal Airport
Schools
Marina High School, Crumpton Elementary School
Waterways
Monterey Bay, Pacific Ocean
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Emergency Project
Type, Section or Code
Sec. 21080(b)(4); 15269(b)(c)
Reasons for Exemption
Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) proposes to update the natural gas distribution system within the East Campus Housing Area. The proposed project involves using trenchless horizontal directional drilling (HDD) and open trenching methods to access, cut, purge, seal and replace the gas line. As a result, implementation of the proposed project would not require extensive site preparation. The proposed project would require implementation of the avoidance and minimization measures identified in PG&E’s 2020 multiple species Habitat Conservation Plan (MRHCP), for routine operation and maintenance activities in 34 California counties, including the County of Monterey. These measures would avoid and reduce potential impacts to sensitive biological resources in the project area.
Sections 21080(b)(4) and 15269(b)(c): The proposed project would reduce threats to the distributions system's integrity and improve public safety and system reliability. In October 2011, PG&E made a commitment to replacing more than 1,200 miles of plastic gas piping, manufactured by DuPont before 1973 under the name Aldyl-A, across California due to its history of cracking and failing. This replacement program was prompted after a leaky plastic gas pipe sparked a fire at a Cupertino, CA condominium complex. The project qualifies for exemption as an emergency project because it involves emergency repairs to publicly owned service facilities necessary to maintain service essential to public health, safety or welfare, which is necessary to prevent and mitigate an emergency. Therefore, the project is also statutorily exempt from CEQA review as an emergency project.
Class 1: Existing Facilities, Section 15301: The proposed project involves the repair and maintenance of existing publicly-owned facilities to provide natural gas and restoration of deteriorated facilities to meet current standards of public health and safety. The proposed project would not involve the expansion of use of any existing facilities.
Class 2: Replacement or Reconstruction, Section 15302: The proposed project involves the replacement or reconstruction of existing facilities where the new facilities will be located on the same site as the facility replaced and will have substantially the same purpose and capacity as the facility replaced. Specifically, the project would replace and reconstruct existing gas lines within the East Campus Housing Area of the CSUM campus involving negligible or no expansion of capacity.
Class 4: Minor Alterations to Land, Section 15304: The proposed project would require minor alterations to the land. Construction would result in approximately 155,600 square feet (3.6 acres) of temporary disturbance from horizontal directional drilling (HDD) and open trenching methods. All work would occur within existing disturbed and developed areas, and no healthy, mature, or scenic trees would be removed. Excavation spoils would be hauled to an approved off-site PG&E facility, and all disturbed areas would be restored to pre-project conditions. PG&E’s replacement or reconstruction of its natural gas distribution system within the East Campus Housing Area would avoid and reduce potential impacts to sensitive biological species and would not result in any take of listed species. No healthy, mature, scenic trees would be removed as part of the project. Supporting documentation for this determination includes the Biological Resource Report prepared by Denise Duffy & Associates, Inc for the project and the avoidance and minimization measures identified in PG&E’s MRHCP, which are available for review at CSUMB’s Campus Planning and Development offices. With implementation of these measures, it was determined that no significant impacts to sensitive biological resources would as a result of the project.
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. For the reasons stated above and with implementation of the already adopted avoidance and minimization measures, it has been determined with certainty that there is no possibility that the proposed project would result in any significant effects on the environment.
The proposed project would not have a significant effect on the environment due to unusual circumstances; would not result in damage to scenic resources within a Scenic Highway; is not located on a hazardous waste site pursuant to Sec. 65962.5 of the Government Code; would not cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource; and would not result in a considerably contribution to a cumulatively significant impact.
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Section 15301, 15302, and 15304
Reasons for Exemption
Class 1: Existing Facilities, Section 15301: The proposed project involves the repair and maintenance of existing publicly-owned facilities to provide natural gas and restoration of deteriorated facilities to meet current standards of public health and safety. The proposed project would not involve the expansion of use of any existing facilities.
Class 2: Replacement or Reconstruction, Section 15302: The proposed project involves the replacement or reconstruction of existing facilities where the new facilities will be located on the same site as the facility replaced and will have substantially the same purpose and capacity as the facility replaced. Specifically, the project would replace and reconstruct existing gas lines within the East Campus Housing Area of the CSUM campus involving negligible or no expansion of capacity.
Class 4: Minor Alterations to Land, Section 15304: The proposed project would require minor alterations to the land. Construction would result in approximately 155,600 square feet (3.6 acres) of temporary disturbance from horizontal directional drilling (HDD) and open trenching methods. All work would occur within existing disturbed and developed areas, and no healthy, mature, or scenic trees would be removed. Excavation spoils would be hauled to an approved off-site PG&E facility, and all disturbed areas would be restored to pre-project conditions. PG&E’s replacement or reconstruction of its natural gas distribution system within the East Campus Housing Area would avoid and reduce potential impacts to sensitive biological species and would not result in any take of listed species. No healthy, mature, scenic trees would be removed as part of the project. Supporting documentation for this determination includes the Biological Resource Report prepared by Denise Duffy & Associates, Inc for the project and the avoidance and minimization measures identified in PG&E’s MRHCP, which are available for review at CSUMB’s Campus Planning and Development offices. With implementation of these measures, it was determined that no significant impacts to sensitive biological resources would as a result of the project.
Exempt Status
Other
Type, Section or Code
15601(b)(3)
Reasons for Exemption
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. For the reasons stated above and with implementation of the already adopted avoidance and minimization measures, it has been determined with certainty that there is no possibility that the proposed project would result in any significant effects on the environment.