Join us for a half-day workshop discussing the following topics: CEQA/NEPA Review: General CEQA review, brief look at NEPA, and general differences and terminology (e.g., BA, BE) Review flowchart of the CEQA process and triggers/pathways for reporting and compliance requirements (e.g., preliminary studies, determining impacts, permitting). A stand-alone technical study may not be required. Picking the Right Tool: Differences between habitat assessments and jurisdictional wetland delineations and picking the right tool for the right process (permitting, assessment, in between) Mitigation Measures and handling candidate species, difficult species, spadefoot, pond turtle, bumble bee, monarch, bats), including a discussion about tricky species, such as species that are covered species, but not listed as well as dealing with indirect impacts Impact Assessment: What pushes impacts into significant or substantial? Judgement calls on impact, habitat impacts, impacts that remain significant after mitigation. Try to minimize impacts if significant and unavoidable. GGS Modeled vs Real Habitat Communication between biologists/experts and clients. Common conflicts/common solutions. Working with all groups writing CEQA Biological Resources, Hydrology/Water Quality, Land Use, and other sections/specialists. Substantial Evidence: What is it, and who can produce it? Public Information: How to inform the public, what to say and not to say. Case Law: Wetland definition (waters of the US, State, County), Lotus Case, Eagle Rule, and Migratory Bird Treaty Act New Listing: What to do when a species becomes listed - may need to reinitiate consultation, frogs and monarch Case Studies: Cat Ex, Difference between Avoidance Measure and Mitigation; and IS/MND (decision for level of CEQA may not be made by the biologist), EIR and Permitting Support. Petra Unger is a Principal Environmental Project Manager at AECOM with a strong background in biological resources. She is experienced in managing CEQA and NEPA compliance and environmental permitting for projects throughout northern and central California. She has extensive experience in conducting botanical surveys; rare, threatened, and endangered species studies; habitat assessments; wetland delineations; permitting; and mitigation monitoring. She is thoroughly familiar with federal, state, and local laws and regulations pertaining to the preservation of natural resources and endangered species. She has been a CEQA practitioner for over 27 years. Ammon Rice is the Supervisor of the Environmental Services CEQA Team at SMUD and has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Biology from CSU, Fresno. Ammon has been at SMUD for 11 years and worked as a consultant for 8 years prior to SMUD. His experience as a consultant included performing rare plant and animal surveys; monitoring; protocol level surveys; habitat assessments; wetland delineations; permitting; and writing Environmental Assessments and biological resource sections for IS/MNDs and EIRs. At SMUD, he manages CEQA projects, development of SMUD’s Habitat Conservation Plan, environmental permitting, invasive species monitoring, avian protection, and implementation of SMUD’s Solano Wind Project Eagle Incidental Take Permit. Location: SMUD, 1st Floor Conference Room, 6201 S Street, Sacramento, Park at 6201 or 6301 S Street. Cost: $30 for AEP members/students, $50 for non-members. PayPal online, cash, check to AEP, or Venmo at door.
Mail checks payable to AEP c/o Janet Dallas, 2020 L Street, Suite 300, Sacramento, CA 95811.
Location
SMUD, First Floor Conference Room 6201 S Street Sacramento, CA 95817 UNITED STATES
