Solar Infrastructure and Battery Energy Storage System Project
Summary
SCH Number
2026060592
Lead Agency
University of California, Merced
Document Title
Solar Infrastructure and Battery Energy Storage System Project
Document Type
MND - Mitigated Negative Declaration
Received
Present Land Use
City Zoning: P-F (Public Facility); Long Range Development Plan Land Use Designation: Campus Building Reserve and Support Land (CBRSL), Campus Mixed Use (CMU)
Document Description
The project would include the demolition of an existing 1-megawatt (MW) ground-mounted solar array facility, and the construction of an up to 6-MW solar facility consisting of a dual-axis tracking system and a new battery energy storage system (BESS) with a minimum storage capacity of 3 megawatt-hour (MWh). The project would interconnect to the UC Merced campus’ existing distribution system and power grid via the existing gen-tie line. The project would be served by existing water distribution infrastructure and would include upgrades to the existing fire water storage tank and/or the construction of a new water storage tank on-site to meet water storage requirements for the proposed project. Access to the project site would be provided by the existing ingress/egress access road off of Cottonwood Loop, which would be improved in accordance with the local fire ordinances to a minimum width of 22 feet. The site would be fenced with six-foot-tall chain-link fencing, which may include barbed wire to facilitate cattle grazing onsite. A locked gate would be located at the project site entrance off of Cottonwood Loop to control ingress/egress.
Contact Information
Name
Phillip Woods
Agency Name
University of California, Merced
Job Title
Director of Physical & Environmental Planning
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency / Project Applicant
Phone
Email
Name
Lesley Owning
Agency Name
HELIX Environmental Planning, Inc.
Job Title
Principal Planner
Contact Types
Consulting Firm
Phone
Email
Location
Coordinates
Cities
Merced
Counties
Merced
Regions
Northern California
Cross Streets
Cottonwood Loop
Zip
95343
Total Acres
86.7
Parcel #
060-010-007, 060-020-047, 170-220-008, 170-220-025
State Highways
N/A
Railways
N/A
Airports
N/A
Schools
N/A
Waterways
Yosemite Lake, Le Grand Canal, Fairfield Canal
Township
6S, 7S
Range
14E
Section
34&35
Base
MDB&M
Notice of Completion
State Review Period Start
State Review Period End
State Reviewing Agencies
California Air Resources Board (ARB), California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Central Region 4 (CDFW), California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), California Department of Parks and Recreation, California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), California Department of Transportation, District 10 (DOT), California Department of Water Resources (DWR), California Energy Commission, California Fish and Game Commission (CDFGC), California Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC), California Natural Resources Agency, California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Central Valley Fresno Region 5 (RWQCB), California State Lands Commission (SLC), Central Valley Flood Protection Board, Office of Historic Preservation, State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water, State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Water Quality, State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Water Rights, University of California Natural Reserve System (UCNRS)
Development Types
Power:Other Power Type (Solar PV Facility; BESS)(Megawatts 6)
Local Actions
Grading/Building Permit
Project Issues
Aesthetics, Agriculture and Forestry Resources, Air Quality, Biological Resources, Cultural Resources, Cumulative Effects, Drainage/Absorption, Energy, Flood Plain/Flooding, Geology/Soils, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Growth Inducement, Hazards & Hazardous Materials, Hydrology/Water Quality, Land Use/Planning, Mandatory Findings of Significance, Mineral Resources, Noise, Population/Housing, Public Services, Recreation, Schools/Universities, Septic System, Sewer Capacity, Solid Waste, Transportation, Tribal Cultural Resources, Utilities/Service Systems, Vegetation, Wetland/Riparian, Wildfire
Public Review Period Start
Public Review Period End
Attachments
Draft Environmental Document [Draft IS, NOI_NOA_Public notices, OPR Summary Form, Appx,]
Notice of Completion [NOC] Transmittal form
Disclaimer: The Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI) accepts no responsibility for the content or accessibility of these documents. To obtain an attachment in a different format, please contact the lead agency at the contact information listed above. For more information, please visit LCI’s Accessibility Site.