CEQA and NEPA for Biologists

Workshop Description

California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) is the California law that guides how certain development projects are assessed prior to issuance of a permit. The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) is a federal law that requires federal agencies to consider the environmental impact of their actions. CEQA and NEPA are processes that must be followed and have many specific requirements. Failure to follow CEQA/NEPA properly may result in the proposed project being denied or a court requiring the impact assessment be redone before the project can be permitted. Impacts to biological resources are often a large component of the CEQA/NEPA impact assessment process and consulting biologists must know how CEQA/NEPA works and what is required to be done to be sure that the impact assessment is considered complete. Althouse and Meade, Inc. is offering a 2-day workshop on CEQA/NEPA specifically designed for the consulting biologist, including the basics of the CEQA/NEPA guidelines and how to perform an impacts assessment that will survive a legal challenge. Topics covered will include the basic parts of CEQA, NEPA, how to determine which project-related impacts are significant, how to mitigate those impacts, and then what to include in a mitigation measure. Real projects will be reviewed to determine if the assessment was adequate (to meet CEQA/NEPA requirements) and how to critically review and comment on CEQA/NEPA documents. This workshop is designed for the senior and junior consulting biologists as well as planners, regulators, and members of the public that need to have a better understanding of how CEQA/NEPA works and how to determine if a CEQA/NEPA impact assessment is adequate. Instructor: David Magney, Principal Biologist at Althouse and Meade, Inc. He is a Certified Consulting Botanist #0001, and a ISA Certified Arborist #WE-7674A. Mr. Magney has conducted assessments to comply with CEQA for over 35 years. He has taught versions of this workshop for over 10 years through the California Native Plant Society. This workshop qualifies for 4 Professional Development Credits for Certified Field and Consulting Botanists. It is also beneficial for botanists that wish to prepared for the Botanist Certification exams.