California Construction and Industrial Materials Association (CalCIMA) Conference 2010

LSA will be exhibiting at the CalCIMA 2010 Conference at the Catamaran Resort Hotel in San Diego from September 22–24. On Thursday, September 23, at 2:00 p.m., Mignone Wood, AICP, will be presenting a paper entitled Resilient Planning Techniques in Mine Reclamation. The presentation will showcase planning techniques based on adaptive management practices. Past and current LSA projects will be presented to demonstrate specific reclamation methods from project sites, including Canal Quarry in Richmond, California, Napa Quarry in Napa, California, and Guadalupe Valley Quarry in Brisbane, California. The presentation will address challenging site conditions such as geotechnical issues, erosion control, revegetation difficulties, and the procedures used to remedy them.

New CEQA Guidelines Adopted by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District

On June 2, 2010, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) adopted updated CEQA Guidelines, establishing new thresholds of significance for evaluating the environmental effects of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). In addition to the GHG thresholds, which were developed to ensure that the Bay Area meets the State’s plan to address climate change, the updated CEQA Guidelines lowered the thresholds for annual emissions of reactive organic gases, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter (PM10) and established a new significance threshold for fine particulate matter (PM2.5). Details can be found here.

How will this affect your project?

• All of the CEQA thresholds of significance became effective as of June 2, 2010 except for the risk and hazards thresholds for new receptors, which will become effective on January 1, 2011.
• BAAQMD policies apply to projects for which a Notice of Preparation is published, or environmental analysis begins, on or after the applicable effective date.
• Projects that exceed the thresholds will require analysis of GHG emissions in an Environmental Impact Report.

LSA is thoroughly familiar with the BAAQMD CEQA Guidelines and adopted thresholds of significance. We have followed the discussion and offered comments on development of the new policies and have incorporated the methodologies for calculating greenhouse gas emissions into our analyses and mitigation measures. LSA also conducts health risk assessments for both construction and project operations under these latest guidelines. For more information Amy Fischer or phone 559 490-1210.

League of California Cities Annual Conference and Expo

The 2010 League of California Cities annual conference and expo will be September 16-17 in San Diego at the San Diego Convention Center. LSA will be exhibiting at booth # 931. Stop by and say hello!

Trail Planning for California Communities

Judith Malamut is pleased to announce that Trail Planning for California Communities (Solano Press, 2009) has been awarded a 2010 APA California Northern Section Award (Media Award). The book was judged on originality, transferability, quality, public participation, and the role of planners, among other criteria. Trail Planning for California Communities fills a void in trail planning literature by providing environmental professionals and community decision-makers with a multi-disciplinary, broad interpretive framework for incorporating public access into urban, suburban and rural community projects and adjoining open space lands. Judith wrote the chapter on Environmental Review and Permitting of Trails and provided input for the chapter on Local Plans and Policies. Pictured from left to right: Judith Malamut, Darcy Kremin, Charlie Knox. For more information, please contact .