FROM: Robert Thompson, General Manager
Originator: Mike Dorman, Director of Engineering
SUBJECT:
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BAY BRIDGE PUMP STATION AND FORCE MAINS REPLACEMENT, PROJECT NO. 5-67
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GENERAL MANAGER'S RECOMMENDATION
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RECOMMENDATION: Recommend to the Board of Directors to:
A. Consider, approve, and adopt Addendum No. 2 to the Environmental Impact Report for the Bay Bridge Pump Station and Force Mains Replacement Project No. 5-67; and
B. Adopt Resolution No. OC SAN 25-18 titled, “A Resolution of the Board of Directors of the Orange County Sanitation District Approving and Adopting Addendum No. 2 to the Environmental Impact Report for the Bay Bridge Pump Station and Force Mains Replacement Project (Project No. 5-67) Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act”.
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BACKGROUND
The Bay Bridge Pump Station and associated force mains were constructed in 1966 on Pacific Coast Highway just east of the Lower Newport Bay Channel. The pump station and force mains are critical to the Orange County Sanitation District’s (OC San) infrastructure as it conveys over half of Newport Beach’s wastewater. The pump station is over 50 years old and at the end of its useful life. The pump station and force mains are currently being upgraded to ensure continuous service.
In February 2021, OC San certified the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Bay Bridge Pump Station and Force Mains Replacement, Project No. 5-67 (State Clearinghouse No. 2016111031). Modifications to the project construction area have been proposed and analyzed with respect to a Court Ruling issued in January 2023 with the Revised Order for Prejudgment Possession. In July 2023 Addendum No. 1 to the EIR was prepared with these modifications analyzed. The modifications did not result in new significant impacts or a substantial increase in the severity of previously identified significant environmental impacts. No new mitigation was required as a result of the project modifications.
In June 2025, the Contractor notified OC San of ongoing negotiations to secure additional construction staging area adjacent to the Bay Bridge Pump Station. In response, Addendum No. 2 to the EIR was prepared to evaluate the proposed modifications. The analysis concluded that the changes would not result in any new significant environmental impacts, nor would they substantially increase the severity of previously identified impacts. Accordingly, no new mitigation measures are required to implement the project modifications.
In August 2025, the Contractor submitted a request to OC San to allow nighttime delivery of oversized loads via Coast Highway to the construction site. The current mitigation measures (specifically, TRA-1) restrict such oversized loads to weekdays between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Upon review, OC San determined that restricting nighttime deliveries of oversized loads along Coast Highway was not required to reduce environmental impacts. In fact, permitting nighttime deliveries of oversized loads along Coast Highway would present a safer alternative, one that Caltrans and the City of Newport Beach prefer. In response, Addendum No. 2 to the EIR was prepared to assess the proposed modification and to demonstrate that, in fact, the restriction of nighttime deliveries of oversized loads along Coast Highway was not for the purpose of reducing environmental effects. The Addendum’s analysis concluded that the change would not result in new significant environmental impacts or substantially increase the severity of existing impacts. Based on these findings, the mitigation measure may be revised to permit nighttime oversized load deliveries via Coast Highway, with the necessary permit from Caltrans and required notification to the City of Newport Beach.
RELEVANT STANDARDS
• Meet CEQA standards
• Listen to and seriously consider community input on environmental concerns
• Maintain collaborative and cooperative relationships with regulators, stakeholders, and neighboring communities
PROBLEM
Addendum No. 1 restricted the project construction staging areas to Lower Castaways Park and OC San’s Plant No. 2 to comply with the Court Ruling issued in January 2023 with the Revised Order for Prejudgment Possession. The Contractor requested the use of a construction staging area adjacent to the Bay Bridge Pump Station and needs to perform nighttime deliveries of oversized loads via Coast Highway due to a limited turning radius along the pump station access road. Per Section 15164(a) of the CEQA Guidelines, an addendum to the previously certified EIR is appropriate.
PROPOSED SOLUTION
Consider, approve, and adopt Addendum No. 2 to the Environmental Impact Report for the Bay Bridge Pump Station and Force Mains Replacement, Project No. 5-67 (“Addendum") and approve the modifications to the project and mitigation measure TRA-1 that are identified in the attachment and identified and described in Addendum No. 2 to the Environmental Impact Report for Bay Bridge Pump Station and Force Mains Replacement, Project No. 5-67.
TIMING CONCERNS
The Contractor will not be able to use the adjacent construction staging area and deliver nighttime oversized loads via Coast Highway until the addendum is approved. Delaying the ability to deliver oversized loads will impact the microtunneling activities which are scheduled to begin in the coming months.
RAMIFICATIONS OF NOT TAKING ACTION
The project cannot utilize the additional staging area before complying with CEQA. Similarly, there is no way to safely deliver oversized loads to the project site except via Coast Highway. Caltrans allows oversized loads to be delivered via Coast Highway at night to minimize impacts to traffic flow and safety during daytime (high use) hours.
PRIOR COMMITTEE/BOARD ACTIONS
February 2025 - Awarded a Construction Contract Agreement to J.F. Shea Construction, Inc. for Bay Bridge Pump Station Replacement, Project No. 5-67, for a total amount not to exceed $87,321,000; and approved a contingency of $8,732,100 (10%).
August 2024 - Approved a Utility Permit Agreement with the County of Orange for installing force mains under the Lower Newport Bay Channel for the Bay Bridge Pump Station Replacement, Project No. 5-67; and approved a one-time payment of $5,000 to the County of Orange for fees associated with the Utility Permit Agreement.
August 2024 - Approved a Project Specific Maintenance Agreement with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) for the construction and maintenance of force mains, drainage pipes, retaining wall, sidewalk, curb and gutter hardscape, and landscaping within the Caltrans right-of-way for the Bay Bridge Pump Station Replacement, Project No. 5-67.
September 2023 - Approved a License Agreement with the City of Newport Beach for the construction staging area for the Bay Bridge Pump Station and Force Mains Replacement, Project No. 5-67.
July 2023 - Considered, Received, and Certified the Addendum to the Environmental Impact Report for the Bay Bridge Pump Station and Force Mains Replacement Project No. 5-67, dated July 2023; and adopted Resolution No. OC SAN 23-13 entitled, “A Resolution of the Orange County Sanitation District Board of Directors receiving and filing the Addendum to the Environmental Impact Report for the Bay Bridge Pump Station and Force Mains Replacement Project No. 5-67 and approved the Modified Project”.
February 2021 - Considered, received, and certified the Environmental Impact Report for the Bay Bridge Pump Station and Force Mains Replacement Project, Project No. 5-67, dated January 2021; and adopted Resolution No. OC SAN 21-03, entitled: “A Resolution of the Board of Directors of the Orange County Sanitation District Certifying the Environmental Impact Report for the Bay Bridge Pump Station and Force Mains Replacement Project, Project No. 5-67; Adopting the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program; and Approving the Bay Bridge Pump Station and Force Mains Replacement Project, Project No. 5-67”.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
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CEQA
OC San, as lead agency, prepared a Final Program EIR for the Bay Bridge Pump Station and Force Mains Replacement Project, Project No. 5-67, dated May 2018. The Board certified the EIR on 2/24/2021. OC San filed a Notice of Determination on 3/1/2021. Since that time, modifications to project construction staging area have been proposed as required by the Court Ruling issued in January 2023 with the Revised Order for Prejudgment Possession. The environmental impacts of the proposed modifications were analyzed, and it was determined that the modifications would not result in any new significant impacts or a substantial increase in the severity of previously identified significant impacts. (CEQA Guidelines § 15162.) Addendum No. 1 was prepared accordingly, and OC San approved Addendum No. 1 on 7/26/2023 and filed a Notice of Determination on 7/27/2023.
In June 2025, the Contractor notified OC San of ongoing negotiations to secure additional construction staging area adjacent to the Bay Bridge Pump Station. In response, Addendum No. 2 to the EIR was prepared to evaluate the proposed modifications, as well as to evaluate modifications to TRA-1 to permit nighttime deliveries of oversized loads via Coast Highway. Addendum No. 2 was prepared accordingly for a new modification to project construction staging area (CEQA Guidelines § 15164). Addendum No. 2 confirms that the proposed modifications to the construction staging area and mitigation measure TRA-1 do not trigger any of the conditions described in State CEQA Guidelines section 15162 that would require preparation of a subsequent EIR.
FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS
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ATTACHMENT
The following attachment(s) may be viewed on-line at the OC San website (www.ocsan.gov) with the complete agenda package:
• Addendum No. 2 to the Environmental Impact Report, Project No. 5-67
• Addendum No. 1 to the Environmental Impact Report, Project No. 5-67
• Environmental Impact Report, Project No. 5-67
• Resolution No. OC SAN 25-18
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