Notice of Availability of Proposed Negative Declaration

Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District (APCD), as the lead agency, has released for your review and comment a Draft Negative Declaration for the Venoco, Inc. Modification of Platform Holly Crew Boat Requirements (Authority to Construct No. 11982).

The project is located on Platform Holly in the California State Tidelands waters corresponding to Santa Barbara County in the South Central Coast Air Basin and the Venoco Ellwood Onshore Facility in southern Santa Barbara County. The APCD is the only local agency with permit jurisdiction over this project.

Project Description

Venoco Inc. proposes to increase the total horsepower for the crew boat fleet to allow greater flexibility and availability in the use of crew boats. The APCD permit will allow up to approximately 233 lbs/day of emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) over current emission levels. The emissions increase is estimated to be below the APCD’s threshold of significance.

The APCD’s proposed Negative Declaration examined the potential adverse impacts of the proposed project as presented in the permit application and the draft APCD permit documents. Based on this project description, the APCD has determined that there are no significantly adverse impacts associated with the proposed increase in crew boat fleet horsepower and the project does not require the preparation of an Environmental Impact Report. Therefore, the APCD has issued a Proposed Negative Declaration.

The Proposed Negative Declaration for the Venoco Platform Holly Crew Boat Requirements (PDF file) can be downloaded here,  or may be obtained by calling our offices at (805) 961- 8811. The project file is also available for public review at 260 N. San Antonio Road, Suite A, Santa Barbara, CA 93110. The 30-day public comment period for the Proposed Negative Declaration for the Venoco Platform Holly Crew Boat Requirements begins on June 26, 2006. Please limit your comments to environmental issues only.

Written comments on the Proposed Negative Declaration should be sent to Vijaya Jammalamadaka, Technology and Environmental Assessment Division, Santa Barbara County APCD, 260 N. San Antonio Road, Suite A, Santa Barbara, CA 93110, before the close of the public review period at 5:00 p.m. on July 25, 2006.

                                                                                                                            Published Sunday June 25, 2006