Environmental Review Process

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is CEQA?
2. What is an Environmental Impact Report (EIR)?
3. What topics will the EIR evaluate? What topics will not be evaluated?
4. Will the EIR evaluate alternatives?
5. What is the schedule for the EIR?
6. How can the community participate in the EIR process?
7. How will we be notified of scoping or public review periods or CEQA-related meetings?
8. What permit approvals are required for this project to go forward and who makes these decisions?

1.  What is CEQA?  

The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) is a California statute or law that requires state and local agencies to identify the significant environmental impacts of the projects they propose and/or approve. Specifically, CEQA requires agencies to identify any significant environmental impacts due to their proposed actions, as well as any feasible alternatives or mitigation measures that will avoid or minimize those impacts.

 2.  What is an Environmental Impact Report (EIR)?

An EIR is an informational document that evaluates the potential environmental impacts of a proposed project and provides key data and analysis for decision-makers and the public. An EIR must be certified and considered by a public agency or agencies prior to approval or disapproval of a project. An EIR identifies and evaluates the significant environmental impacts of a project, whether the impacts can be avoided or reduced, and alternatives to the project that should also be considered. Visit the EIR Process page to learn more.

3.  What topics will the EIR evaluate? What topics will not be evaluated?

The EIR will likely include analysis of the environmental topics listed below. However, the scoping process will further define the issues that will be evaluated, based on input received from agencies, the public, and other interested parties. For more information, click here. As CEQA focuses on physical effects on the environment, evaluation of social or economic effects is not required.

• Aesthetics
• Air Quality
• Biological Resources
• Cultural Resources
• Geology and Soils
• Greenhouse Gas Emissions
• Hazards
• Hydrology and Water Quality
• Land Use and Planning
• Noise
• Transportation
• Wastewater and Solid Waste
• Growth
• Alternatives

4.  Will the EIR evaluate alternatives?

In compliance with CEQA, the EIR will evaluate a reasonable range of alternatives to the proposed project that could feasibly attain all or most of the basic objectives of the project and avoid or reduce any significant environmental effects of the project.

As required under CEQA, the EIR will evaluate the No Project Alternative, which will describe the conditions that will likely occur if the proposed project is not implemented. Based on currently available information, other alternatives may include:

1. Facility component design alternatives (e.g., seawater intake design alternatives),
2. Facility component location alternatives (e.g., facility plant site and/or pipeline corridor location alternatives),
3. Operational or capacity alternatives, and
4. Other water supply alternatives such as those evaluated in the City’s Integrated Water Plan Program EIR.

Additional alternatives could be added to the analysis, or the above-referenced tentatively identified alternatives might be changed, based on input from stakeholders during the EIR scoping process and in response to environmental effects that may be identified during the preparation of the EIR.

5.  What is the schedule for the EIR?

Please see the CEQA Roadmap.

6.  How can the community participate in the EIR process?

Please see the information on public participation by clicking here.

7.  How will we be notified of scoping or public review periods or CEQA-related meetings?

Please see the information on staying informed by clicking here.

8.  What permit approvals are required for this project to go forward and who makes these decisions?

The proposed project will need to acquire several permits to go forward.  Please refer the Permit Table