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5.20 Dry Utilities

The AVAP goals and policies applicable to the analysis of electricity with Project
implementation are listed below. Section 5.8, Land Use, Entitlements, and Planning, presents
a more in-depth analysis of the Project’s consistency with relevant plans, policies and
regulations.

Goal ED 1: A healthy and balanced economic base in the Antelope Valley that attracts a wide
range of industries and businesses and provides high-paying jobs for local residents.

Policy ED 1.14: Promote appropriate types of residential development in the vicinity
of existing communities and town centers that are in reach of existing infrastructure
and utilities.

Goal COS 14: Energy infrastructure that is sensitive to the scenic qualities of the Antelope
Valley and minimizes potential environmental impacts.

Policy COS 14.1: Require that new transmission lines be placed underground
whenever physically feasible.

Policy COS 14.2: If new transmission lines cannot feasibly be placed underground
due to physical constraints, require that they be co-located with existing transmission
lines, or along existing transmission corridors, whenever physically feasible.

Policy COS 14.3: If new transmission lines cannot feasibly be placed underground or
feasibly collocated with existing transmission lines or along existing transmission
corridors due to physical constraints, direct new transmission lines to locations
where environmental and visual impacts will be minimized.

Policy COS 14.4: Discourage the placement of new transmission lines on undisturbed
lands containing sensitive biotic communities.

Policy COS 14.5: Discourage the placement of new transmission lines through
existing communities or through properties with existing residential uses.

Policy COS 14.7: Require that electrical power lines in new residential developments
be placed underground.

Environmental Setting

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, in 2012, California’s total energy consumption—
including for electricity generation—was 7,620.1 trillion British thermal units (Btu),
representing approximately 7.7 percent of the United States’ energy consumption. The major
sources of consumed energy in California were petroleum (43.0 percent) and natural gas
(32.0 percent). Other sources include coal, nuclear electric power, and renewable.
Approximately 18 percent of this energy was consumed by residential users, 19 percent by
commercial users, 24 percent by industrial users, and 39 percent by the transportation
sector (USDOE 2016a). In 2014, California’s major sources of electricity were natural gas
(52.0 percent), nuclear (10.7 percent), hydroelectric (9.5 percent), coal (0.4 percent), and
renewable sources (20.1 percent) (USDOE 2016b). In 2015, approximately 66.4 percent of

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Draft EIR