ENERGY COMPONENT


OIL AND GAS WELLS (ONSHORE)

General Regulations

4.1	Permit Requirement

	Require the issuance of Coastal Development Permit for the drilling, sinking, or boring of any well, hole, or bore for oil or gas or any other hydrocarbon substance, in the Coastal Zone.  Permitted oil and gas well development shall be in accordance with all relevant Local Coastal Program policies.

4.2	Regulation of Oil and Gas Wells

	a.	Revise the oil and gas well chapter of the County's Zoning Ordinance to reflect Coastal Act policies.  Use the ordinance as the principle implementation device for regulating oil and gas well development.

	b.	Recognize the State Division of Oil and Gas as the primary regulatory authority for oil and gas well development.

	c.	Require all permits to conform to Division of Oil and Gas regulations and regulations of other responsible State agencies.

	d.	In revising the County ordinance, do not supersede, duplicate, or exceed controls of these State agencies.

Locational Criteria

4.3	Appropriate Locations

	a.	Prospect drilling and production of oil and gas wells may be permitted by oil and gas well permit in the following zones:  Resource Management (RM), Timber Preserve Zone (TPZ), Planned Agricultural District (PAD), Heavy Industrial (M­2), Agricultural (A­1), and Exclusive Agricultural (A-2).  Unless acceptable mitigation measures to the maximum feasible extent can be undertaken, prohibit wells and appurtenant facilities from locating in scenic corridors, hazardous areas, and recreation areas.  Prohibit wells on prime agricultural soils and in sensitive habitats.

	b.	Where drilling sites are located adjacent to sensitive habitat areas, prime agricultural soils, recreation areas, residential or hazardous areas, required mitigation to the maximum extent feasible to protect the adjacent resources.

	c.	Require as far as practicable, consolidation of oil and gas well facilities.

Performance Standards for Protecting Land and Water Resources

4.4	Road and Drilling Pad Construction

	a.	Require road and pad construction in conformance with applicable ordinances.

	b.	Restrict width of roads to allow only for the safe passage of drill rigs and equipment.

	c.	Minimize grading to prevent erosion and sedimentation, and to preserve appearance, vegetation and contours of the landscape.

4.5	Erosion Control

	Minimize erosion from oil and gas well development by:  (1) requiring a buffer strip between streams and roads, (2) constructing waterbreaks at appropriate intervals, (3) constructing roadside berms to guide surface waterflow, and (4) planting protective ground cover on slopes exceeding 5%.

4.6	Restoration

	Require the revegetation of all cleared and exposed lands, abandoned roads, earthen sumps, well sites, work sites, and other areas not needed for normal operation of all wells.

4.7	Removal of Materials

	Require that all waste material removed from the land is deposited in an approved disposal site.

4.8	Water Quality

	a.	Prohibit the disposal of waste water from drilling operations on land or in wells and water bodies which may damage soil, plant life and surface or subsurface water supplies.

	b.	Prohibit oil field wastes from polluting surface or subsurface waters.

4.9	Sensitive Resources

	a.	Require tank ponds, sumps and brine mixing ponds to be lined with impermeable material to prevent the release of harmful substances.

	b.	Prohibit direct flow of any water from well pads into a marsh or other sensitive habitat areas.

Performance Standards for Protecting Adjacent Land Uses

4.10	Suspension of Activities

	Require the suspension of drilling and production operations at the site of any disaster, accident, or pollution of surface or subsurface waters.

4.11	Limiting Hours of Operation

	Limit to daylight hours oil transfer activities that would disturb nearby residents.

4.12	Termination of Operations

	Require the removal or fencing of wells and other facilities which go out of production temporarily or permanently.

Performance Standards for Protecting Scenic Quality

4.13	Screening

	a.	Avoid construction of facilities in scenic road corridors and recreation areas.  Where necessary, maximum effort shall be made to screen views of facilities from scenic roadways and recreation areas.

	b.	Require landscaping or other screening at production facility sites.

4.14	Painting

	Require painting of production facilities in a manner which assures maximum blending with the natural surroundings.

4.15	Height Limits

	Require all production facilities to be placed at least their height below the ridge top or otherwise hidden from view.

Performance Standards for Protecting Air Quality

4.16	Air Pollution Emissions

	Require construction and operation of oil and gas well facilities to employ methods which minimize air pollution emissions.

4.17	Vapor Recovery Systems

	Require the utilization of vapor recovery systems.

4.18	Atmospheric Exposure

	a.	Prohibit crude oil or oil waste to stand open to the atmosphere during production.

	b.	Limit sump operation during exploratory drilling and testing.

4.19	Standards

	Require all drilling activity to meet the standards of the Air Resources Board.

Performance Standards for Limiting Noise

4.20	Engine Mufflers

	Require that engines use muffler systems.

4.21	Adjacent Land Uses

	Minimize noise impacts on surrounding land uses, especially residential.

4.22	Drilling Time

	Limit the time of exploratory drilling activities.

ONSHORE FACILITIES FOR OFFSHORE OIL

*4.23	Definition

	Define onshore facilities for offshore oil as temporary or permanent service bases, including but not limited to warehouses, open storage areas or stockpiling areas, offices, communication centers, harbor or wharf development or improvement, parking and helipad areas, processing plants and oil storage tanks.

*4.24	Prohibition of Onshore Facilities

	Prohibit onshore facilities for offshore oil or gas from locating in the Coastal Zone.

*In the event that Federal or State law requires onshore facilities for offshore oil and gas extraction activities, Policies 4.25-4.27 shall apply:

*4.25	Permit Requirement

	Require the issuance of a Coastal Development Permit for all onshore facilities in sites designated appropriate (if any) based on conclusions of the Coastal Energy Impact Program (CEIP) in the Coastal Zone.

*4.26	Preliminary Concept Plan

	a.	For all new or expanded facilities, require the submittal of a Preliminary Concept Plan to the County Planning Commission.

	b.	Require the Preliminary Concept Plan to provide an Environmental Setting Statement to ensure that the proposed location of facilities is consistent with the policies of the Local Coastal Program.  Specifically, require Environmental Setting Statements to describe and analyze the sites' environmental resources, including topography, geology, vegetation, wildlife habitats and visual and cultural resources.

	c.	Require the Preliminary Concept Plan to include an Overall Development Scheme which states the general intentions of the applicant for the development of the facility of which the proposed development is a part.  Require the Plan to be consistent with the findings and conclusions of the Environmental Setting Survey and to include:  (1) a site plan showing the ultimate development plan for the facility indicating the location and intensity of proposed uses, including types of structure, landscape and circulation, (2) proposed site management techniques, (3) a general sequence of anticipated development and (4) a statement detailing the consistency of the proposed development project with the policies of the Local Coastal Plan.

		After the Preliminary Concept Plan has been approved and found to be consistent with the LCP by the Planning Commission, use it as the basis for subsequent coastal development permit approvals.  Require that subsequent development proposals be consistent with the Preliminary Concept Plan, unless amendments are applied for and approved by the Planning Commission.

*4.27	Development Standards

	Develop performance standards and specific criteria, based on CEIP, to protect coastal resources and to mitigate to the maximum extent feasible adverse impacts of energy-related development, while considering national energy needs.  Land use recommendations developed from the CEIP for onshore facilities for offshore oil may require amendments to the LCP.

4.28	Designation of Facility Sites

	Continue to study areas proposed for the siting of onshore facilities for offshore oil development through the CEIP.

PIPELINES AND TRANSMISSION LINES

*4.29	Permit Requirement

	Require the issuance of a Coastal Development Permit for all pipelines and transmission lines in the Coastal Zone which are not under the jurisdiction of the California Energy Commission.  Prohibit pipelines for the transmission of offshore oil and gas.

*In the event that Federal or State law requires onshore facilities for offshore oil and gas extraction activities, Policies 4.30-4.38 shall apply:

*4.30	Preliminary Concept Plan

	For all new or expanded pipelines or transmission lines, require the submittal of a Preliminary Concept Plan (as outlined in Policy 4.24) to the County Planning Commission.

*4.31	Locational Criteria

	a.	When feasible, pipelines shall be routed to avoid important coastal resources, including recreation, sensitive habitats and archaeological areas and seismically active or geologically unstable areas. Unavoidable routing through recreation, habitat, or archaeological areas, or other areas of significant coastal resources value, shall be done in a manner that minimizes the extent of disturbance, erosion potential and the impacts of a spill, should it occur (by considering spill volumes, durations, and projected path).

	b.	Existing utility rights-of-way should be utilized for other related utilities to provide consolidated corridors wherever such uses are compatible or feasible.

	c.	Electrical transmission facilities should be consolidated with existing transmission facilities unless there are social, aesthetic or significant economic concerns.

	d.	New pipeline corridors should be consolidated within existing pipeline or electrical transmission corridors where feasible unless there are overriding technical constraints or significant social, aesthetic, environmental, or economic concerns.

Performance Standards for Protecting Adjacent Land Uses

*4.32	Construction Activities

	Access and construction roads should be located to minimize landform alterations.  Road grades and alignments should follow the contour of the land with smooth, gradual curves where possible.

*4.33	Restoration

	Upon completion of construction, the site shall be restored to the approximate previous grade and condition.  All excavated materials shall be replaced in reverse order with topsoil replaced at grade level and compacted if necessary.  All sites previously covered with native vegetation shall be reseeded with the same or recovered with the previously removed vegetative materials, and shall include other measures as deemed necessary to prevent erosion until the vegetation can become established.

Performance Standards for Protecting Scenic Quality

*4.34	Vegetation Removal

	Scarring, grading, or other vegetative removal shall be minimized and revegetated with plants similar to those in the area.

*4.35	Siting

	a.	Siting of transmission lines should avoid the crests of roadways to minimize their visibility on distant views.  Lines should cross the roadway perpendicular and at a downhill low elevation site or a curve in the road.

	b.	Transmission line rights-of-way shall be routed to minimize impacts on the viewshed in the coastal zone, especially in scenic rural areas, and to avoid locations which are on or near habitat, recreational, or archaeological resources, whenever feasible.

	c.	Where above-ground transmission line placement would unavoidably affect views, undergrounding shall be required where it is technically and economically feasible, unless it can be shown that other alternatives are less environmentally damaging.

	d.	Above-ground pipeline or transmission facilities should be sited outside the view corridor of scenic areas where alternative corridors are feasible.

	e.	Where above-ground pipeline or transmission facilities must be sited within a scenic corridor, the pipelines and/or utility lines should not extend along the road right-of-way for continuous extended distances.

*4.36	Color and Design

	When above-ground facilities are necessary, design and color of the support towers shall be compatible with the surroundings to the extent safety and economic considerations allow.

Performance Standards for Protecting Sensitive Resources

*4.37	Sensitive Resource Protection

	a.	Where new petroleum pipeline segments pass through sensitive resource areas, recreation areas, or archaeological areas or seismically active areas, the segment shall be isolated, in the case of a break, by automatic shutoff valves.  The County may determine whether spacing of automatic shutoff valves at intervals less than the maximum set by the Department of Transportation is required to protect sensitive coastal resources.

	b.	In sensitive resource areas the extent of construction and ground surface disturbance shall be reduced to a minimum by restricting construction activities and equipment within narrow, limited and staked work corridors and storage areas.

	c.	A field survey funded by the applicant shall be conducted along the proposed pipeline route in all sensitive resource areas.  This survey shall identify and determine the type and extent of impacts resulting from the construction and operation of the proposed pipeline on important coastal resources, including sensitive habitat and sensitive or endangered flora species, visual resources and archaeological resources.  Measures to mitigate these impacts shall also be suggested including pipeline route relocation, strategies to minimize the extent of topographic alteration and disturbance (i.e., minimize grading and the width of work corridors, etc.), measures to enhance the revegetation of temporarily disturbed areas (i.e, separation of topsoil and vegetative materials from excavation spoils for subsequent spreading over excavation programs).

*4.38	Geologic Investigations

	Geologic investigations shall be performed by a certified engineering geologist where a proposed petroleum pipeline route crosses high risk landslide areas.  This report should investigate the potential risk and recommend such mitigation measures to help assure the integrity of the pipeline and minimize erosion, geologic instability, and substantial alterations of the natural topography.

POWER PLANTS

4.39	Notice of Intention

	For all power plant development in the Coastal Zone, the County shall participate in Energy Commission Notice of Intention proceedings.

4.40	Preliminary Concept Plan

	For all new or expanded power plants, require the submittal of a Preliminary Concept Plan (as outlined in Policy 4.26) to the San Mateo County Planning Commission.

4.41	Locational Criteria

	a.	Prohibit power plants from locating in areas designed in the Coastal Commission's report, "Designation of Areas Where Power Plants Would be Inconsistent With Coastal Act Objectives."

	b.	Outside of these designated areas, prohibit power plants from locating in sensitive habitats, geologic hazards areas, and timber preserve zones.

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

4.42	Alternative Energy Sources

	Encourage the development of non-polluting alternative energy resources including but not limited to co-generation, biomass, wind and solar.


RXG:kcd - RXGC1988.AKM
(8/14/92)