Central Utility Plant Expansion Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR)

UC Davis prepared a Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) in accordance with the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the State CEQA Guidelines, and other applicable laws for the UC Davis Sacramento Campus Central Utility Plant Expansion Project.

The Final EIR consists of three volumes: Volume 1, UC Davis Sacramento Campus Central Utility Plant Expansion Final EIR, Volume 2, Appendices to the Final EIR, and Volume 3 consists of responses to comments, revisions to the Draft EIR, and the mitigation monitoring and reporting program (MMRP) for the UC Davis Sacramento Campus Central Utility Plant Expansion. 

The Final EIR is available for review at the following locations:

Online: Please see below for links to the Final EIR chapters.

The State Clearinghouse Number assigned for the project is 2023050563.

The Board of Regents certified the UC Davis CUP Expansion EIR on January 31, 2024.

Other Available Documents:

• UC Davis Sacramento Campus Central Utility Plant Expansion Final EIR Findings
• UC Davis Sacramento Campus Central Utility Plant Expansion Final EIR Notice of Determination (NOD)
• Draft Environmental Impact Report
• Notice of Preparation

Questions regarding the Final EIR can be addressed to:

Heather Davis, AICP
Associate Director of Environmental Planning
Campus Planning and Environmental Stewardship
University of California, One Shields Avenue
Davis, CA 95616
environreview@ucdavis.edu

Final EIR Documents

Volume 1 – UC DAVIS SACRAMENTO CAMPUS CENRAL UTILITY PLANT EXPANSION FINAL EIR (24 MB)

• Title Page and Contents
• Executive Summary
• 1 INTRODUCTION
• 2 PROJECT DESCRIPTION
• 3 EXISTING ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING, IMPACTS, AND MITIGATION
  • 3.1 Aesthetics
  • 3.2 Air Quality
  • 3.3 Biological Resources
  • 3.4 Archaeological, Historical, and Tribal Cultural Resources
  • 3.5 Energy
  • 3.6 Geology, Soils, and Seismicity
  • 3.7 Greenhouse Gas Emissions
  • 3.8 Hazards and Hazardous Materials
  • 3.9 Hydrology and Water Quality
  • 3.10 Land Use and Planning
  • 3.11 Noise
  • 3.12 Population and Housing
  • 3.13 Public Services
  • 3.14 Recreation
  • 3.15 Transportation & Circulation
  • 3.16 Utilities and Service Systems
• 4 ALTERNATIVES
• 5 REFERENCES CITED
• 6 PREPARERS &  PERSONS CONSULTED

Volume 2 - Appendices (52 MB)

• Appendix A - Notice of Preparation
• Appendix B - Air Quality Modeling Outputs
• Appendix C - Cultural Resource Consultation
• Appendix D - Noise Modeling Outputs

Volume 3 - COMMENTS, RESPONSES, MMRP, AND REVISIONS TO THE DRAFT EIR 

• Volume 3 Cover and Table of Contents
• 1 INTRODUCTION
• 2 COMMENTS AND RESPONSES TO COMMENTS
• 3 MITIGATION MONITORING AND REPORTING PROGRAM
• 4 CORRECTIONS AND REVISIONS TO THE DRAFT EIR

Subsequent Approvals

CUP Construction Trailer Relocation

This project proposes to install a temporary construction trailer to support the construction of the CUP Expansion Project. The trailer will be located on an existing parking area at the Sacramento Campus, on the south side of the Aggie Square construction site, just north of the UC Davis Institute for Regenerative Cures. The area is currently a parking lot used by UC Davis Health employees. The trailer is approximately 6,200 square feet in area. Minor excavation is needed for temporary utility connections to existing electrical, water and sewer adjacent to the site. 27 parking spaces will be temporarily removed; however, the parking lot surrounding the trailer will be preserved as parking. Minor improvements will be made to the parking lot and signage will be installed to protect the fire access lane. The trailers are for temporary use associated with the upcoming construction of the CUP Expansion Project. Trailer placement and associated site work will begin in summer 2024 and take approximately one month to complete. The trailer will be removed when the construction of the CUP Expansion Project is complete, and the site will be restored to its previous condition as a surface parking lot.

Documents Available Online:

• CUP Construction Trailer Relocation Project Findings

CUP Expansion - Construction, Operation and SMUD Component

This project includes an internal remodel and update of the existing  CUP  control room; routing new underground utilities for electricity and diesel fuel; and demolishing unused CUP yard walls to complete new roadway connections. The new CUP Annex building will be constructed, new diesel tanks would be installed in the existing CUP yard, new transformers and switchgear would be installed in the electrical yard, and a new replacement well  would be installed and connected to the existing water infrastructure. This project also includes a new electrical power connection to the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD). This component of the project includes the construction of new infrastructure for a 116/21.9 kV, 40 MVA transformer and installation of a 40 MVA underground transmission line between SMUD’s East City Substation and the new electrical service yard at the CUP. This installation would also require new 21 kV, 1,200-ampere switchgear; new parallel conductors; new manholes; and a new circuit breaker at the CUP. This new service would be from SMUD’s East City Substation and delivered to campus from one of two potential routes, which were evaluated in the EIR.

Documents Available Online:

• CUP Expansion - Construction, Operation and SMUD Project Findings