California chapter to host workshop on California Environmental Quality Act

Most wildlife and fisheries biologists working in California will encounter the California Environmental Quality Act at some point in their careers — either through assisting with the preparation of a CEQA document like an Environmental Impact Report or implementing mitigation measures embedded in a CEQA document.

The California North Coast Chapter of The Wildlife Society will host a workshop for biologists encountering CEQA on Dec. 12 at Humboldt State University.

Ever wonder how much information needs to be included in the “setting” section of an Environmental Impact Statement? What about writing mitigation measures for species when you don’t know if they are present?

Topics at the workshop will include: CEQA background, processes and procedures; information gathering (i.e., developing the project description, preparing for and conducting field surveys and determining potential for species occurrence); preparing a biological resources section (including regulatory and environmental settings, thresholds of significance, impact analysis and determination, mitigation measures, and cumulative impacts); key legal rulings; and practice scenarios.

The workshop will be held on Thursday, Dec. 12 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. PST in the Kate Buchanan room at Humboldt State University. Featured instructors include individuals from GEI consultants to California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Registration is open on the chapter’s website. Individuals may also sign up for lunch with registration (lunch will be served buffet style and vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options will be available).