| #e.20652 | Tuesday 8:30AM to
Wednesday 5:00PM
December 11-12,
2012 | CM | 1.50 |
Preparing, Reviewing, Challenging, and Defending Documents Prepared Under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)Northwest Environmental Training CenterSan Diego, CA The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) is one of the most well-known environmental laws. It applies whenever federal agencies propose to take action, or propose to fund or approve the actions of others and environmental impacts are likely to result. NEPA was instrumental in promoting better environmental values by inviting the public to engage in federal agency planning and decision-making processes. At times, procedures and documents required by NEPA form the only administrative record of federal decision making.
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) parallels NEPA for California State and local agency actions. It is an environmental review system that requires agencies considering project approval to analyze and actively protect California's environment. It applies to any project requiring State or local agency action that may have a significant effect on the environment, whether it be on State, local agency, or private land.
The success or failure of many actions depends on compliance with NEPA and CEQA. Using models, case studies, and sample NEPA/CEQA documents, this workshop will help you understand the procedural requirements of the NEPA/CEQA process. This process includes determining when these processes apply, deciding which document to prepare, determining the scope and content of NEPA/CEQA documents, preparing an adequate cumulative impacts analysis, and integrating this process with other laws.
After completing this course, participants will be able to:
Determine whether a NEPA / CEQA process is necessary
Determine which process to following: Categorical Exclusion, Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact / Negative Declaration (or Mitigated Negative Declaration), or Environmental Impact Statement / Environmental Impact Report
Study, develop, and describe appropriate alternatives
Complete an adequate cumulative impacts assessment
Prepare an Administrative Record to support agency decisions
More Instructors: Richard Grassetti Richard Grassetti is an environmental planner with over 23 years experience in environmental impact analysis and regulatory compliance. He is a recognized expert in the CEQA process, and has served as an expert witness on CEQA and planning issues in California. Through his firm, Grassetti Environmental Consulting (GECo), he manages the preparation of CEQA and NEPA documents, as well as the numerous local agency planning and permitting documents. In addition to his consulting practice, Mr. Grassetti serves as adjunct faculty in environmental studies at California State University, East Bay. He has presented numerous papers on environmental impact assessment at statewide and international conferences. Owen Schmidt Owen L. Schmidt, BA, MA, JD, has more than 32 years of service with the Federal Government. He has served as Senior Counsel with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the General Counsel in Portland, Oregon, where he advised the Forest Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and other USDA agencies in Washington and Oregon. He was also a Special Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Oregon. Before joining USDA in 1991, he was an attorney for the Bonneville Power Administration, where he joined the legal staff after several years as an Environmental Specialist. Mr. Schmidt received his J.D. from Northwestern School of Law of Lewis & Clark College (1977), and a B.A. (1969) and M.A. (1973) in biology from St. Cloud State University, Minnesota. Mr. Schmidt is a frequent author and lecturer on the National Environmental Policy Act. He served as a Vice-Chair of the American Bar Association’s Book Publication Committee for the Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources and as a Vice President for the Ninth Circuit, The Federal Bar Association. He was the Editor of Oregon Birds, a quarterly journal of Oregon Field Ornithologists, for 14 years (1985-99), and is a long-time member of the Oregon Bird Records Committee. (0 Ratings)
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