Revised title: Practical Guide to CEQA Compliance in California

This book is designed as a step-by-step reference for public agency staff, consultants, attorneys, developers, and interested citizens to help them grasp the environmental review process. It will provide a clear explanation of CEQA from beginning to end. Additionally, it offers practical advice to guide CEQA practitioners through the process.

Users of this book will gain the following benefits: - Understanding of the environmental review process and identification of the roles and responsibilities of state and local agencies - Ability to determine the applicability of CEQA to proposed projects and the circumstances under which exemptions are applicable - Knowledge of when a Negative Declaration or an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) is necessary - Skills to prepare a legally defensible Negative Declaration, Mitigated Negative Declaration, or EIR - Understanding of how to create a "program level" EIR and streamline CEQA by "tiering" later analyses from that EIR - Ability to draft feasible, enforceable, and effective mitigation measures - Capability to review, evaluate, and provide meaningful comments on CEQA documents prepared by other public agencies - Proficiency in preparing joint CEQA/NEPA documents to satisfy both CEQA and the federal National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

This book is meant to serve as a general guide for implementing CEQA. It selectively references CEQA (Pub. Res. Code Secs. 21000–21177), the State CEQA Guidelines (14 Cal. Code Reg. 15000-15387), other relevant statutes, and case law when doing so clarifies the underlying legal authority for a particular requirement. For more detailed information, users should refer to the CEQA statute, the State CEQA Guidelines, and relevant case law. The legal citations in the book are not exhaustive and should not be considered as legal advice. When in doubt, it is always advisable to consult with legal counsel.

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