Corporate Training By Zack Academy - Introduction to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)

Why Should You Take This Introduction to the California Environmental Quality Act course?

This Introduction to the California Environmental Quality Act workshop provides an applied overview of the California Environmental Quality Act, with an emphasis on the process and technical requirements of environmental impact assessment. The course will begin with a brief background on environmental impact assessment in the U.S. and of CEQA's regulatory context, followed by an overview of various approaches used in scoping and preparing environmental impact assessments under CEQA. Students will examine the documents required under CEQA and the roles of key players involved. Students will also determine the adequacy of CEQA documents as they relate to environmental settings, impact assessment, mitigation development, significance thresholds, and data sources. Lastly, the course will include a discussion of the documents and processes for projects regulated by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). 

After completing this course, participants will be able to:

• Understand and participate in CEQA evaluations
• Integrate CEQA environmental review into project approval processes
• Explain the environmental impact assessment requirements of CEQA
• Effectively review and comment on CEQA documents
• Identify and work with the various players in resolving CEQA issues

Intended Audience:

This course is designed for professionals seeking a greater understanding of CEQA in order to form publicly acceptable and legally defensible conclusions. Environmental professionals, planners, engineers, consultants, public officials, decision-makers, and others responsible for interpreting the adequacy of environmental impact reports and studies required under CEQA will benefit from this course, as will members of citizens organizations who want to gain an in-depth understanding of the CEQA process and develop technical skills in the reviewing of CEQA documents.

Topics To Be Covered Include: Please see syllabus for full list of course topics. 

What to Bring to Class:  Pen or pencil, and paper if you do not want to take notes in your manual. Drinks and snacks will be provided each day. Lunch will be on your own.

Syllabus

Syllabus:

Review of CEQA Basics

• History of CEQA
• Walk-through of CEQA process
• How/when NEPA fits in

CEQA Documents - hands-on examination and discussion

• Initial study and environmental assessment
• Negative Declarations, Mitigated Negative Declarations, and Exemptions
• Draft Environmental Impact Reports
• Final Environmental Impact Reports
• The CEQA findings
• Relevant NEPA documents

Overview of the Analytical Process for Environmental Impact Assessment

• Identifying: setting, impacts, mitigation, alternatives

California Land Use Regulations and Other Common Permits - and their relationship to CEQA (and NEPA)

• General plan
• Zoning
• Other entitlements

Common Environmental Impact Review Deficiencies

CEQA"s Environmental Impact Assessment Process

• Identifying the project under CEQA
• Scoping
• Determining significance
• Screening
• Public review of the draft EIR
• Preparation of the final EIR
• EIR certification, findings, and project approval under CEQA
• Post-decision monitoring
• CEQA time limits
• Summary of major differences between CEQA & NEPA processes
• Citizens" remedies

Key Players and their Roles in the CEQA Process

• Public agencies
• Environmental consultants and other experts
• Political players
• The public
• Interacting with the players
• Successful project management strategies

Critical Review of CEQA Documents

• Reviewing documents for content and regulatory compliance
• Identifying deficiencies in environmental impact documents
• Lessons learned from CEQA case law