OCWR CEQA PROJECTS STATUS
Updated on 3/27/25 by Leila Barker, CEQA & Habitat Program Manager
1. FRB Renewable Natural Gas (RNG Project) - The proposed RNG plant will be located at OCWR’s Frank R. Bowerman (FRB) Landfill located at 11002 Bee Canyon Access Road. The Project involves the construction of an RNG processing plant and a new SoCal Gas pipeline connecting the processing plant to an existing SoCal Gas pipeline at the corner of Portola Parkway and Jeffrey Road. Bowerman Power is working with OC Waste & Recycling (OCWR) to develop the proposed RNG Plant at the FRB Landfill. The RNG Plant will be designed to process a portion of the excess LFG that has not been processed at the existing and on-site Bowerman Power Plant and would otherwise require incineration at the existing adjacent flare station and then deliver the processed RNG to SoCal Gas. Tetra Tech has been contracted to prepare the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) document on behalf of OCWR and an Initial Study (IS) /Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) is currently in preparation. An application for an Authority to Construct/Permit to Operate for the proposed RNG Plant will be filed with South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD). The issuance of the air permit is contingent upon a CEQA determination. The following provides the status of the CEQA document:
Kick-off Meeting held on 06/08/23
Project Description completed on 05/22/24
Draft IS/MND submitted to OCWR on 09/06/24 with review completed 09/20/24
Public Meeting held on 10/22/2024
Public Review for IS/MND during 10/17/24-11/15/24
2 Significant Comment Letters received which may necessitate re-circulation of IS/MND
Re-circulation of IS/MND September 2 – October 1, 2025
Board approval on December 2, 2025
Project completed
2. Prima Deshecha Landfill (PDL) Increase in Tonnage – The proposed project is located at the Prima Deshecha landfill, located at 32250 Avenida La Pata, and access is provided by Interstate 5 (I-5), Ortega Highway (State Route 74 [SR-74]), and Avenida La Pata. The proposed project would increase the maximum amount of waste that the Landfill is able to accept on a daily basis from 4,000 tons per day (TPD) to 8,000 TPD. Waste would continue to be disposed of in existing areas of the Landfill that are designated for disposal. The proposed Project would also allow for up to 36 operational emergency days during which the 8,000 TPD limit could be exceeded. Such operational emergency days could occur in the event that another OCWR facility is temporarily closed, which could occur as a result of a freeway closure or other unforeseen events, necessitating diversion of waste to another landfill. The proposed increase in daily tonnage is anticipated to take place gradually, reaching the 8,000 TPD limit by 2030. A Subsequent EIR is being proposed by OCWR and LSA Associates has been contracted to prepare this CEQA document. The following provides the status of the CEQA document:
The Notice of Preparation (NOP) was released for public review from 9/27/23 until 10/27/24
An In-person Public Scoping Meeting was held 10/4/24 at PDL
Technical studies were completed from 7/23 and completed 7/24
Informal consultation with transportation agencies and cities completed in 2024
Preparation of Draft Subsequent EIR is currently in progress
A 45-day Public Review of the Draft Subsequent EIR was held from 2/1/26-3/19/26
Adoption of Subsequent EIR estimated for fall of 2026