Environmental Consulting

School Services: CEQA Documentation

The Initial Study (IS) is a document required by CEQA to screen sites for issues related to environmental quality. The IS determines both whether the proposed school will have a significant impact on the environment and whether the environment will impact students and faculty at the school. Sections of the IS discuss issues addressed in the Phase I ESA, the Geologic Hazard Report, and the Geotechnical Report. Other sections consider land use, local agency and utility requirements for the project, aesthetic impacts, air pollutants, noise, and traffic generated by the project, protected flora, fauna, and cultural resources in the area, and cumulative impacts of the project and other development. If significant environmental impacts are identified for the project, it must be determined whether the impacts can be mitigated; if so, mitigation measures are proposed in the text of the IS. In-depth studies completed as part of the IS may address issues of importance to the project such as traffic, air quality, noise, or biological resources.

If the IS finds no significant impacts or determines that all significant impacts identified can be mitigated, a Negative Declaration (ND or Neg Dec) or Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND or Mitigated Neg Dec) is prepared pursuant to CEQA. This document is circulated through the State Clearinghouse (SCH) and all responsible public agencies for comment. The document is made available for public review for 30 days. At the end of the Public Comment Period, comments are received and reviewed, and the ND/MND and IS are modified as necessary. The School Board may then adopt the ND/MND at a public hearing. Once the resolution is adopted, the school district must file a Notice of Determination (NOD) within five days.

If significant environmental impacts are identified at a site which cannot be mitigated to a less than significant level, an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) must be prepared. This report addresses the specific impacts identified and the environmental setting of the project in greater detail.