UNDERSTANDING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT A Layperson's Guide To Environmental Impact Documents

This book is intended as a practical, functional guide for users and reviewers of various types of environmental impact assessment (EIA) documents. While this book is not intended for specialists in any one technical discipline, it provides the lay reader with a practical overview of the basics of environmental impact assessment as performed under US and California laws. As such, it is a useful tool for planners, students, citizen-activists, decision-makers, developers, attorneys, consultants, and other EIA preparers and others seeking a better understanding of the content and substance of EIAs. Starting with a brief background of US environmental impact assessment, the book discusses the various approaches used in scoping and preparing environmental impact assessments of all types. It explains specific methods for assessing the environmental effects of each resource topic typically included in US environmental documents (including physical, biological, cultural, and social impacts). This discussion includes adequacy checklists for environmental settings, impact assessment, mitigation development, as well as discussions of significance thresholds, key regulatory agencies, applicable regulations and data sources. The author, Mr. Richard Grassetti is an environmental impact assessment consultant with over 20 years of experience preparing and critiquing EIAs. Mr. Grassetti also serves as an instructor in environmental studies at California State University, Hayward. Simple diagrams and flow charts are used to illustrate basic environmental processes and impact methodologies. The topical sections average about 7-12 pages each, and the entire volume includes helpful appendices.