Environmental Review and NEPA/CEQA Assessments

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In response to the 1970 passage of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) cities and other public agencies are required to consider what effects their discretionary actions might have on the environment before making decisions on a wide range of public and private projects. Environmental clearance is therefore required prior to approval of public and private projects reviewed by planning departments. The purpose of the environmental review process is to identify the environmental impacts that might be associated with a project prior to decision making. The Initial Study is the first environmental document prepared to determine whether a Negative Declaration can be issued on a proposed project, or if a comprehensive Environmental Impact Report (EIR) is required. One of the following documents must be prepared prior to approval of a project:

  • Negative Declaration is a public document that states that a project will not have any significant effect on the environment. Changes to the project or mitigative measures may be required to reduce or eliminate significant impacts before a Negative Declaration can be granted.
  • Environmental Impact Report (EIR): If a project is determined through the initial study to have likely result in a significant impact on the environment that may be difficult to mitigate or reduce. An EIR is a complete study of all the possible significant environmental impacts of a project and all the possible ways of reducing or mitigating these impacts. It is generally prepared by a consultant under the direction of Planning Staff. Once certified as complete by the Planning Commission, the EIR helps the decision-makers and the public evaluate the project.

The environmental process is designed to be a public process that involves the community to the extent practicable. Because community concerns can be wide-ranging, and the stakeholder groups large, the environmental review process requires careful planning and skillful handling of the public participation process. This step is critcal to ensuring that 1) the project moves ahead without significant hold-ups 2) all community concerns are addressed during the environmental review proceess so that the potential for future lawsuits is minimized. Premier’s staff has extensive experience holding public participation workshops and building consensus among concerned citizen groups.

The environmental review process ultimately informs decision-makers and the public of what impact a proposed project is likely to have on the environment, and what can be done to reduce or mitigate any significant effects. Typical areas of environmental significance include traffic circulation, water quality, noise impacts, hazardous materials, archaeological resources and vegetation and wildlife. In addition to providing information, the process also requires that significant impacts be reduced or mitigated whenever possible. Another significant component to the environmental review process, is the identifiication of effective project alternatives and mitigation measures. Premier staff has extensive experience working in a large variety of environments, including ports and harbors, downtown cores, rural settings. Projects often have unique components that are the focal point of the environmental document. Premier staff have worked on projects which focused on community concerns such as:

  • Noise and Air Quality Impacts from a Foundry and Railway, (Torrance, California)
  • Hazardous Materials on a former Oil Field and Refinery (Inglewood, California)
  • Visual concerns over a cellular communication Tower near the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center (Pendleton, Oregon)
  • Visual concerns over a proposed cellular communication tower in an Indian Reservation (Mt. Hood, Oregon)

Environmental Review Staff

Corinne Severn, Senior Environmental Scientist

Expertise: Site characterization; database development and programming; Geographic Information Systems; CERCLA, and NRDA.

Ms. Severn assesses the environmental impacts of the release of contaminants and in particular reviews the data with consideration to regulations, such as CERCLA and NRDA regulations. She has reviewed site assessment documents and prepared site reviews on recently listed NPL sites. She wrote and supervised the preparation of Preliminary Natural Resource Surveys, which summarize contaminant issues and natural resources at risk. In support of the analysis of contaminant data, Ms. Severn has designed and supervised the development of data management systems. These systems have addressed a wide variety of data types, interfaces and clients needs.