CANYON STEEL INDUSTRIAL BUILDING PROJECT

Transcription

1 PALEONTOLOGICAL RESOURCES ASSESSMENT REPORT CANYON STEEL INDUSTRIAL BUILDING PROJECT City of Perris Riverside County, California For Submittal to: Department of Development Services, Planning Division City of Perris 101 North D Street Perris, CA Prepared for: Carter Group Architects, Inc South El Camino Real, Suite F San Clemente, CA Prepared by: Harry M. Quinn, Geologist/Paleontologist Michael D. Richards, Report Writer CRM TECH 1016 East Cooley Drive, Suite A/B Colton, CA Michael Hogan, Principal Investigator Bai Tom Tang, Principal Investigator October 22, 2018 City of Perris Development Plan Review No CRM TECH Project No. 3396P Approximately 3.72 acres Steele Peak, Calif., 7.5 quadrangle Section 1, T4S R4W, San Bernardino Baseline and Meridian

2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In September and October, 2018, at the request of Carter Group Architects, Inc., CRM TECH performed a paleontological resources study on approximately 3.72 acres of undeveloped land in the northwestern portion of the City of Perris, Riverside County, California. The subject property of the study consists of Assessor s Parcel Numbers , -025, -026 and -027, located on the northwest corner of California Avenue and Patterson Avenue, in the northwest quarter of Section 1, T4S R4W, San Bernardino Baseline and Meridian, as depicted in the U.S. Geological Survey Steele Peak, Calif., 7.5 quadrangle. The study is part of the environmental review process for the proposed Canyon Steel Industrial Building Project, which entails primarily the construction of an approximately 22,920-square-foot warehouse for manufacturing and office use. The City of Perris, as the lead agency for the project, required the study in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The purpose of the study is to provide the City with the necessary information and analysis to determine whether the proposed project would potentially disrupt or adversely affect any significant, nonrenewable paleontological resources, as mandated by CEQA. In order to identify any paleontological resource localities that may exist in or near the project area and to assess the possibility for such resources to be encountered in future excavation and construction activities, CRM TECH initiated a records search, conducted a literature search, and carried out a systematic field survey in accordance with the guidelines of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology. The results of these research procedures indicate that the sensitivity of the project area for paleontological resources ranges from low to high depending on the depth of excavation, with the previously disturbed surface soils demonstrating a low sensitivity and the undisturbed subsurface deposit of older Pleistocene sediments a high sensitivity. Based on these findings, CRM TECH recommends that a paleontological resource impact mitigation program be developed and implemented for the proposed project to prevent potential impact on significant, nonrenewable paleontological resources or reduce such impact to a level less than significant. As the primary component of the mitigation program, all earth-moving operations reaching beyond the depth of two feet should be monitored periodically, or spot-checked, by a qualified paleontological monitor to identify the type of sediments being impacted, and continuous monitoring will become necessary when ground disturbance reaches the depth of five feet, or if undisturbed, potentially fossiliferous older alluvium is encountered at shallower depths. i

3 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY... i INTRODUCTION... 1 PALEONTOLOGICAL RESOURCES... 5 Definition... 5 Significance Criteria... 5 Paleontological Sensitivity... 6 SETTING... 7 Regional Geologic Setting... 7 Current Natural Setting... 7 METHODS AND PROCEDURES... 8 Records Search... 8 Literature Review... 8 Field Survey... 8 RESULTS AND FINDINGS... 9 Records Searches... 9 Literature Review... 9 Field Survey... 9 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS REFERENCES APPENDIX 1: Personnel Qualifications APPENDIX 2: Records Search Results LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Project vicinity... 1 Figure 2. Project area... 2 Figure 3. Aerial image of the project area... 3 Figure 4. Proposed site plan... 4 Figure 5. Typical landscape in the project area... 8 Figure 6. Geologic map showing the project area ii

4 INTRODUCTION In September and October, 2018, at the request of Carter Group Architects, Inc., CRM TECH performed a paleontological resources study on approximately 3.72 acres of undeveloped land in the northwestern portion of the City of Perris, Riverside County, California (Figure 1). The subject property of the study consists of Assessor s Parcel Numbers , -025, -026 and -027, located on the northwest corner of California Avenue and Patterson Avenue, in the northwest quarter of Section 1, T4S R4W, San Bernardino Baseline and Meridian (Figures 2, 3). The study is part of the environmental review process for the proposed Canyon Steel Industrial Building Project, which entails primarily the construction of an approximately 22,920-square-foot warehouse for manufacturing and office use (Figure 4). The City of Perris, as the lead agency for the project, required the study in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA; PRC 21000, et seq.). The purpose of the study is to provide the City with the necessary information and analysis to determine whether the proposed project would potentially disrupt or adversely affect any significant, nonrenewable paleontological resources, as mandated by CEQA. In order to identify any paleontological resource localities that may exist in or near the project area and to assess the possibility for such resources to be encountered in future excavation and construction activities, CRM TECH initiated a records search, conducted a literature search, and carried out a systematic field survey in accordance with the guidelines of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology. The following report is a complete account of the methods, results, and final conclusion of this study. Personnel who participated in the study are named in the appropriate sections below, and their qualifications are provided in Appendix 1. Figure 1. Project vicinity. (Based on USGS Santa Ana, Calif., 1:250,000 quadrangle [USGS 1979a]) 1

5 Figure 2. Project area. (Based on USGS Perris, Riverside East, Steele Peak, and Sunnymead, Calif., 1:24,000 quadrangles [USGS 1978; 1979b; 1980a; 1980b]) 2

6 Figure 3. Aerial image of the project area. 3

7 Figure 4. Proposed site plan. 4

8 PALEONTOLOGICAL RESOURCES DEFINITION Paleontological resources represent the remains of prehistoric life, exclusive of any human remains, and include the localities where fossils were collected as well as the sedimentary rock formations in which they were found. The defining character of fossils or fossil deposits is their geologic age, which is typically regarded as older than approximately 12,000 years, the generally accepted temporal boundary marking the end of the last late Pleistocene (circa 2.6 million to 12,000 years B.P.) glaciation and the beginning of the current Holocene epoch (circa 12,000 years B.P. to the present). Common fossil remains include marine shells; the bones and teeth of fish, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals; leaf assemblages; and petrified wood. Fossil traces, another type of paleontological resource, include internal and external molds (impressions) and casts created by these organisms. These items can serve as important guides to the age of the rocks and sediments in which they are contained, and may prove useful in determining the temporal relationships between rock deposits from one area and those from another as well as the timing of geologic events. They can also provide information regarding evolutionary relationships, development trends, and environmental conditions. Fossil resources generally occur only in areas of sedimentary rock (e.g., sandstone, siltstone, mudstone, claystone, or shale). Because of the infrequency of fossil preservation, fossils, particularly vertebrate fossils, are considered nonrenewable paleontological resources. Occasionally fossils may be exposed at the surface through the process of natural erosion or because of human disturbances; however, they generally lay buried beneath the surficial soils. Thus, the absence of fossils on the surface does not preclude the possibility of their being present within subsurface deposits, while the presence of fossils at the surface is often a good indication that more remains may be found in the subsurface. SIGNIFICANCE CRITERIA According to guidelines proposed by Eric Scott and Kathleen Springer (2003) of the San Bernardino County Museum, paleontological resources can be considered to be of significant scientific interest if they meet one or more of the following criteria: 1. The fossils provide information on the evolutionary relationships and developmental trends exhibited among organisms, living or extinct; 2. The fossils provide data useful in determining the age(s) of the rock unit or sedimentary stratum, including data important in determining the depositional history of the region and the timing of geologic events therein; 3. The fossils provide data regarding the development of biological communities or the interactions between paleobotanical and paleozoological biotas; 4. The fossils demonstrate unusual or spectacular circumstances in the history of life; and/or 5. The fossils are in short supply and/or in danger of being depleted or destroyed by the elements, vandalism, or commercial exploitation, and are not found in other geographic locations. 5

9 PALEONTOLOGICAL SENSITIVITY The fossil record is unpredictable, and the preservation of organic remains is rare, requiring a particular sequence of events involving physical and biological factors. Skeletal tissue with a high percentage of mineral matter is the most readily preserved within the fossil record; soft tissues not intimately connected with the skeletal parts, however, are the least likely to be preserved (Raup and Stanley 1978). For this reason, the fossil record contains a biased selection not only of the types of organisms preserved but also of certain parts of the organisms themselves. As a consequence, paleontologists are unable to know with certainty, the quantity of fossils or the quality of their preservation that might be present within any given geologic unit. Sedimentary units that are paleontologically sensitive are those geologic units (mappable rock formations) with a high potential to contain significant nonrenewable paleontological resources. More specifically, these are geologic units within which vertebrate fossils or significant invertebrate fossils have been determined by previous studies to be present or are likely to be present. These units include, but are not limited to, sedimentary formations that contain significant paleontological resources anywhere within their geographical extent as well as sedimentary rock units temporally or lithologically amenable to the preservation of fossils. A geologic formation is defined as a stratigraphic unit identified by its lithic characteristics (e.g., grain size, texture, color, and mineral content) and stratigraphic position. There is a direct relationship between fossils and the geologic formations within which they are enclosed and, with sufficient knowledge of the geology and stratigraphy of a particular area, it is possible for paleontologists to reasonably determine the formation s potential to contain significant nonrenewable vertebrate, invertebrate, marine, or plant fossil remains. The paleontological sensitivity for a geologic formation is determined by the potential for that formation to produce significant nonrenewable fossils. This determination is based on what fossil resources the particular geologic formation has produced in the past at other nearby locations. Determinations of paleontologic sensitivity must consider not only the potential for yielding vertebrate fossils but also the potential of yielding a few significant fossils that may provide new and significant taxonomic, phylogenetic, and/or stratigraphic data. The Society of Vertebrate Paleontology issued a set of standard guidelines intended to assist paleontologists to assess and mitigate any adverse effects/impacts to nonrenewable paleontological resources. The guidelines defined four categories of paleontological sensitivity for geologic units that might be impacted by a proposed project, as listed below (Society of Vertebrate Paleontology 2010:1-2): High Potential: Rock units from which vertebrate or significant invertebrate, plant, or trace fossils have been recovered. Undetermined Potential: Rock units for which little information is available concerning their paleontological content, geologic age, and depositional environment. Low Potential: Rock units that are poorly represented by fossil specimens in institutional collections, or based on general scientific consensus only preserve fossils in rare circumstances. No Potential: Rock units that have no potential to contain significant paleontological resources, such as high-grade metamorphic rocks and plutonic igneous rocks. 6

10 SETTING REGIONAL GEOLOGIC SETTING Geologically, the project location lies in the northern portion of the Peninsular Ranges province, which is bounded on the north by the Transverse Ranges province, on the northeast by the Colorado Desert province, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean (Jenkins 1980:40-41; Harms 1996:150). The Peninsular Ranges province extends southward to the southern tip of Baja California (Jahns 1954). More specifically, the project area is on the eastern margin of an elevated portion of the Perris Block called the Gabelon Hills. The Perris Block was defined by English (1926) as a region between the San Jacinto and Elsinore- Chino fault zones, which is bounded on the north by the Cucamonga (San Gabriel) Fault and on the south by a vaguely delineated boundary near the southern end of the Temecula Valle. The structural block is considered to have been active since Pliocene time (Woodford et al. 1971:3421). The Pliocene- and Pleistocene-age non-marine sedimentary rocks filling the valley areas have produced a few vertebrate fossils, as well as a few invertebrate fossils (Mann 1955:13). CURRENT NATURAL SETTING The City of Perris is situated in the Perris Valley, a semi-arid inland alluvial valley that extends generally in a northwest-southeast direction. A number of isolated granitic mountains, such as the Lakeview Mountains and the Bernasconi Hills, separate the Perris Valley from the nearby Moreno, San Jacinto, and Menifee Valleys. These valleys are sub-basins of the San Jacinto watershed, one of the three major geographical subdivisions of the Santa Ana Basin. This valley complex is bounded on the northeast by the San Jacinto Mountains and on the southwest by the Santa Ana Mountains. The climate and environment of the region are typical of southern California s inland valleys, with temperatures in the region reaching over 100 degrees Fahrenheit in summer and dipping to near freezing in winter. The average annual precipitation is approximately 12 inches. The project area consists of four contiguous vacant lots in the commercial/industrial corridor along Interstate Highway 215. The surrounding properties are generally consistent in land use to the overall character of the area, with other parcels of vacant or agricultural land also lying nearby. The terrain on the property is relatively level (Figure 5), with a slight incline to the west, and the elevations range approximately from 1,500 feet to 1,505 feet above mean sea level. The ground surface has been extensively disturbed in the past, as it appears to have been leveled and covered with crushed gravel sometime between October 2016 to February 2018 (Google Earth 2016; 2018). Where exposed, the surface soil was made up of loamy sand of fine to medium-sized grain mixed with gravels consisting of fine-to-coarse pebbles and small cobbles. The sparse vegetation growth consists of invasive non-native plants of wild mustard (Brassica sp.), tumbleweeds (Russian thistle, Salsola tragus), various seasonal grasses such as foxtails (Setaria sp.), and various shrubs, mostly located along the project boundaries. 7

11 Figure 5. Typical landscape in the project area. (View to the northwest; photograph taken on September 18, 2018) RECORDS SEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES The records search service for this study was provided by the Western Science Center (WSC) in Hemet, California (Radford 2018; see Appendix 2). The WSC is one of the institutions that maintain regional paleontological records in their files as well as supporting maps and documents. The records search results are used to identify known paleontological localities in or near the project area and previously performed paleontological resource assessments in the vicinity. In addition to WSC records, the Conservation Element of the City of Perris General Plan (City of Perris 2005) was also consulted for pertinent information. LITERATURE REVIEW In addition to the records searches, CRM TECH geologist/paleontologist Harry M. Quinn, California Professional Geologist #3477 pursued a literature review on the project location. Sources consulted during the part of the research include primarily topographic, geologic, and soil maps of the surrounding area, published geologic literature pertaining to the project location, and other materials in the CRM TECH library, including unpublished reports produced during similar surveys in the vicinity. FIELD SURVEY On September 18, 2018, CRM TECH paleontological surveyor Daniel Ballester carried out the pedestrian field survey of the project area by walking a series of parallel east-west transects spaced 10 meters (approximately 33 feet) apart. In this way, the ground surface in the entire project area 8

12 was systematically and carefully examined to determine the soil types, to verify the geological formations, and to look for any indications of paleontological remains. RECORDS SEARCHES RESULTS AND FINDINGS The records search at the WSC identified no known fossil localities within the project area or a onemile radius (Radford 2018; see Appendix 2). However, the WSC reports the presence of fossil localities in similarly mapped units associated with the Aldi Distribution Center in Moreno Valley within 10 miles of the project area that resulted in fossil localities and Pleistocene fossil specimens (ibid.). As the project area lies entirely upon very old alluvial fan deposits dating to the early Pleistocene period, the WSC considers the location to be of high paleontological sensitivity (ibid.). In the end, the WSC concludes: Any fossils recovered from the Canyon Steel Industrial Building Project area would be scientifically significant. Excavation activity associated with development of the project area would impact the paleontologically sensitive Pleistocene units and it is the recommendation of the Western Science Center that a paleontological resource mitigation program be put in place to monitor, salvage, and curate any recovered fossils associated with the current study area. (ibid.) The paleontological sensitivity assessment in the City of Perris General Plan also classifies the project vicinity as High Sensitivity: Pleistocene old valley deposits, which would require paleontological monitoring of all subsurface excavations (City of Perris 2005:27, 47). LITERATURE REVIEW Jahns (1954) mapped the surface geology at the project location as Qn, or Pleistocene-age nonmarine sedimentary deposits. Morton (1991) and Morton and Miller (2006) mapped it as Qvofa, or very old alluvial fan deposits of early Pleistocene age, mostly well-dissected, well-indurated, reddish-brown sand deposits (Fig. 6). In contrast, Dibblee (2003) mapped it as Qa, or surficial sediments of Holocene age, which is described as alluvial sand and clay in valley areas, locally covered with gray clay soil. For the surface soil, Knecht (1971:Map Sheet 60) showed the project area to be covered by RaA, or Ramona sandy loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes, a well-drained soil type that develops on alluvial fans and terraces (ibid.:53-54). FIELD SURVEY The field survey yielded negative findings for potential paleontological resources, and no surficial indications of any fossil remains were observed within or adjacent to the project area. Field observations confirmed the extensive disturbances to the ground surface in the project area by past agricultural operations and, in particular, the leveling of the entire property in recent years. As a result, little vestige of the native landscape survives on the property today. Based on the field survey and the typical depth of disturbance by agricultural operations, it is estimated that at least the top two feet of surface soils in the project area have been disturbed and, therefore, are unlikely to contain any intact fossil remains. 9

13 Figure 6. Geologic map of the project vicinity. (Source: Morton 1991; 2003; Morton and Cox 2001; Morton and Matti 2001) 10

14 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS CEQA guidelines (Title 14 CCR App. G, Sec. V(c)) provides that a project may be deemed to have a significant effect on the environment if it will... disrupt or adversely affect a... paleontological site except as a part of a scientific study. The present study, conducted in compliance with this provision is designed to identify any significant, non-renewable paleontological resources that may exist within or adjacent to the project area, and to assess the possibility for such resources to be encountered in future excavation and construction activities. In summary of the study results presented above, the project area evidently lies entirely upon early Pleistocene alluvium, which is considered to be fossiliferous, but the potential for the project to disturb significant, nonrenewable paleontological resources appears to range from low to high depending on the depth of excavation. The previously disturbed surface soils demonstrate a greatly reduced and generally low sensitivity for intact fossil remains, while the undisturbed subsurface sediments remain highly sensitive. Based on these findings, CRM TECH recommends that a paleontological resource impact mitigation program be developed and implemented for the proposed project to prevent potential impact on significant, nonrenewable paleontological resources or reduce such impact to a level less than significant. The mitigation program should be developed in accordance with the provisions of CEQA as well as the proposed guidelines of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology (2010), and should include but not be limited to the following: All earth-moving operations reaching beyond the depth of two feet should be monitored periodically, or spot-checked, by a qualified paleontological monitor to identify the type of sediments being impacted, and continuous monitoring will become necessary when ground disturbance reaches the depth of five feet, or if undisturbed, potentially fossiliferous older alluvium is encountered at shallower depths. The monitor should be prepared to quickly salvage fossils, if they are unearthed, to avoid construction delays, but must have the power to temporarily halt or divert construction equipment to allow for removal of abundant or large specimens. Samples of sediments should be collected and processed to recover small fossil remains. Recovered specimens should be identified and curated at a repository with permanent retrievable storage that would allow for further research in the future. A report of findings, including an itemized inventory of recovered specimens and a discussion of their significance when appropriate, should be prepared upon completion of the research procedures outlined above. The approval of the report and the inventory by the City of Perris would signify completion of the mitigation program. REFERENCES City of Perris 2005 City of Perris General Plan 2030; Conservation Element. city-hall/general-plan/conservation_element_ pdf. 11

15 Dibblee, Thomas W., Jr Geologic Map of the Steele Peak Quadrangle, Riverside County, California. Dibblee Geology Center Map DF-111. Santa Barbara, California. English, W.A Geology and Oil Resources of the Puente Hills Region, Southern California. U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 146. Washington, D.C. Google Earth Aerial photographs of the project vicinity. Available through the Google Earth software. Harms, Nancy S A Precollegate Teachers Guide to California Geomorphic/Physiographic Provinces. Far West Section, National Association of Geoscience Teachers, Concord, California. Jahns, R.H Geology of the Peninsular Range Province, Southern California and Baja California. In R.H. Jahns (ed.): Geology of Southern California; Chapter II. California Division of Mines Bulletin 170, Part 3. San Francisco. Jenkins, Olaf P Geomorphic Provinces Map of California. California Geology 32(2): California Division of Mines and Geology Publication. Sacramento. Knecht, Arnold A Soil Survey of Western Riverside Area, California. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service, Washington, D.C. Mann, John F., Jr Geology of a Portion of the Elsinore Fault Zone, California. California Division of Mines Special Report 43. San Francisco. Morton, Douglas M Geologic Map of the Steele Peak 7.5 Quadrangle, Riverside County, California. U.S. Geological Survey Open-file Report Washington, D.C Preliminary Geology of the Perris 7.5 Quadrangles, Riverside County, California. U.S. Geological Survey Open-file Report Washington, D.C. Morton, Douglas M., and Brett Cox 2001 Geologic Map of the Riverside East 7.5 Quadrangle, Riverside County, California. U.S. Geological Survey Open-file Report Washington, D.C. Morton, Douglas M., and Fred K. Miller 2006 Preliminary Digital Geologic Map of the San Bernardino 30 x60 Quadrangle, California (1:100,000). U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report Morton, Douglas M., and Jonathan Matti 2001 Geologic Map of the Sunnymead 7.5 Quadrangle, Riverside County, California. U.S. Geological Survey Open-file Report Washington, D.C. Radford, Darla 2018 Records review letter report prepared by the Western Science Center, Hemet, California. (See App. 2) Raup, David M., and Steven M. Stanley 1978 Principles of Paleontology. W.H. Freeman and Company, San Francisco. 12

16 Scott, Eric, and Kathleen B. Springer 2003 CEQA and Fossil Preservation in California. Environmental Monitor Fall:4-10. Association of Environmental Professionals, Sacramento, California. Society of Vertebrate Paleontology 2010 Standard Procedures for the Assessment and Mitigation of Adverse Impacts to Paleontological Resources. http//:vertpaleo.org/membership/member-resources/svp_impact_ Mitigation_Guidelines.aspx. USGS (United States Geological Survey, U.S. Department of the Interior) 1978 Map: Steele Peak, Calif. (7.5, 1:24,000); 1967 edition photorevised in a Map: Santa Ana, Calif. (1:250,000); 1959 edition revised. 1979b Map: Perris, Calif. (7.5, 1:24,000); 1967 edition photorevised in a Map: Riverside East, Calif. (7.5, 1:24,000); 1967 edition photorevised in b Map: Sunnymead, Calif. (7.5, 1:24,000); 1967 edition photoinspected in 1973; photorevised in Woodford, Alfred O., John S. Shelton, Donald O. Doehring, and Richard K. Morton 1971 Pliocene-Pleistocene History of the Perris Block, Southern California. Geological Society of America Bulletin 82(12):

17 APPENDIX 1 PERSONNEL QUALIFICATIONS 14

18 PROJECT GEOLOGIST/PALEONTOLOGIST Harry M. Quinn, M.S., California Professional Geologist #3477 Education 1968 M.S., Geology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California B.S, Geology, Long Beach State College, Long Beach A.A., Los Angeles Harbor College, Wilmington, California. Graduate work oriented toward invertebrate paleontology; M.S. thesis completed as a stratigraphic paleontology project on the Precambrian and Lower Cambrian rocks of Eastern California. Professional Experience Project Paleontologist, CRM TECH, Riverside/Colton, California Project Archaeologist, CRM TECH, Riverside/Colton, California Independent Geological/Geoarchaeological/Environmental Consultant, Pinyon Pines, California Environmental Geologist, E.C E.S., Inc, Redlands, California Project Geologist/Director of Environmental Services, STE, San Bernardino, California Senior Geologist, Jirsa Environmental Services, Norco, California Consulting Petroleum Geologist, LOCO Exploration, Inc. Aurora, Colorado Senior Exploration Geologist, Tenneco Oil E & P, Englewood, Colorado Exploration and Development Geologist, Texaco, Inc., Los Angeles, California. Previous Work Experience in Paleontology Attended Texaco company-wide seminars designed to acquaint all paleontological laboratories with the capability of one another and the procedures of mutual assistance in solving correlation and paleo-environmental reconstruction problems Attended Texaco seminars on Carboniferous coral zonation techniques and Carboniferous smaller foraminifera zonation techniques for Alaska and Nevada , 1974, 1975 Conducted stratigraphic section measuring and field paleontological identification in Alaska for stratigraphic controls. Pursued more detailed fossil identification in the paleontological laboratory to establish closer stratigraphic controls, mainly with Paleozoic and Mesozoic rocks and some Tertiary rocks, including both megafossil and microfossil identification, as well as fossil plant identification Conducted stratigraphic section measuring and field paleontological identification in Nevada for stratigraphic controls. Pursued more detailed fossil identification in the paleontological laboratory to establish closer stratigraphic controls, mainly with Paleozoic rocks and some Mesozoic and Tertiary rocks. The Tertiary work included identification of ostracods from the Humboldt and Sheep Pass Formations and vertebrate and plant remains from Miocene alluvial sediments. Memberships Society of Vertebrate Paleontology; American Association of Petroleum Geologists; Association of Environmental Professionals; Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists, Pacific Section; Society of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists; San Bernardino County Museum. Publications in Geology Five publications in Geology concerning an oil field study, a ground water and earthquake study, a report on the geology of the Santa Rosa Mountain area, and papers on vertebrate and invertebrate Holocene Lake Cahuilla faunas. 15

19 REPORT WRITER Michael D. Richards, M.A., Registered Professional Archaeologist Education 2002 M.A., Anthropology, California State University, Northridge (CSUN) B.A., Anthropology: University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) A.A., Los Angeles Valley College, Los Angeles, California Section 106 workshop CSUN Olmec field excavation and lab analysis; La Venta, Mexico Rock art recording, UCLA Extension; Little Lake, California Rock art symposium, UCLA Extension. Professional Experience Co-Principal Investigator/Archaeologist, LSA Associates Inc Co-Principal Investigator/Archaeologist, ICF International (Jones & Stokes) Co-Principal Investigator/Archaeologist, various CRM firms (on call) Principal Investigator/Field Director/Crew Chief, ASM Affiliates, Inc Project Manager/Co-Principal Investigator, ArchaeoPaleo Resource Management, Inc Staff Archaeologist/Crew Chief, SRI, Inc Project Archaeologist/Field Director, Ancient Enterprises (Clewlow, Jr.) Staff Archaeologist/Lab Crew Chief, CSC/Edwards Air Force Base. Research Interests Pottery and rock art analysis; prehistory the American southwest, Mesoamerica, and Japan. Cultural Resources Management Reports Author and co-author of, contributor to, and principal investigator for numerous cultural resources management study reports since Memberships Society for American Archaeology; Society for California Archaeology; Archaeological Institute of America; Conejo Open Space Trails Advisory Committee; Conejo Valley Historical Society. 16

20 PALEONTOLOGICAL SURVEYOR Daniel Ballester, M.S. Education 2013 M.S., Geographic Information System (GIS), University of Redlands, California B.A., Anthropology, California State University, San Bernardino Archaeological Field School, University of Las Vegas and University of California, Riverside University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. Professional Experience Cross-trained in paleontological field procedures and identifications by CRM TECH Geologist/Paleontologist Harry M. Quinn Field Director/GIS Specialist, CRM TECH, Riverside/Colton, California GIS Specialist for Caltrans District 8 Project, Garcia and Associates, San Anselmo, California Field Crew Chief, Garcia and Associates, San Anselmo, California Field Crew, ECorp, Redlands Project Archaeologist, CRM TECH, Riverside, California Field Crew, K.E.A. Environmental, San Diego, California Field Crew, A.S.M. Affiliates, Encinitas, California Field Crew, Archaeological Research Unit, University of California, Riverside. 17

21 APPENDIX 2 RECORDS SEARCH RESULTS 18

22 Semptember 18, 2018 CRM TECH Nina Gallardo 1016 E. Cooley Drive, Ste. A/B Colton, CA Dear Ms. Gallardo, This letter presents the results of a record search conducted for the Canyon Steel Industrial Building Project in the city of Perris, Riverside County, California. The project site is located at the intersection of California Avenue and Patterson Avenue, south of West Oleander Avenue in Section 1, Township 4 South, Range 4 West on the Steele Peak USGS 7.5 minute quadrangle. The geologic units underlying this project are mapped entirely as very old alluvial fan deposits dating from the early Pleistocene period (Morton, 1991, ). Very old alluvial fan units are considered to be of high paleontological sensitivity. The Western Science Center does not have localities within the project area or within a 1 mile radius, but does have fossil localities in similarly mapped units associated with the Aldi Distribution Center in Moreno Valley within 10 miles of the project area that resulted in fossil localities and Pleistocene fossil specimens. Any fossils recovered from the Canyon Steel Industrial Building Project area would be scientifically significant. Excavation activity associated with development of the project area would impact the paleontologically sensitive Pleistocene units and it is the recommendation of the Western Science Center that a paleontological resource mitigation program be put in place to monitor, salvage, and curate any recovered fossils associated with the current study area. If you have any questions, or would like further information about the Aldi Distribution Cener Project, please feel free to contact me at dradford@westerncentermuseum.org Sincerely, Darla Radford Collections Manager 2345 Searl Parkway Hemet, CA phone fax WesternScienceCenter.org