Delta Substation

spen prepared a Mitigated Negative Declaration for a new substation and transmission tower proposed by Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E). The new substation is within the PG&E Delta Distribution Planning Area (DPA), located within a rapidly urbanizing area of eastern Contra Costa County, to serve Antioch, Brentwood, and Oakley. The substation ties into the nearby Contra Costa-Cayetano 230-kV transmission line, which delivers the output of power plants in the Pittsburg and Antioch area. The substation for the Delta DPA capacity increase project was sited within the City of Antioch on undeveloped land in the southeastern portion of the city. The project also involved construction of span over Sand Creek where adopted biological resource management plans include preserving open space. Aspen addressed site-specific impacts to sensitive biological resources. The Sand Creek Focus Area has only been partially surveyed, but is known for potential habitat for several protected species of wildlife including vernal pool fairy shrimp, California tiger salamander, burrowing owls, California red-legged frog, Western pond turtle, and San Joaquin kit fox. During construction, Aspen provided mitigation monitoring on behalf of the California Public Utilities Commission.