What is an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and should I ever need to read one?
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires an EIR to be prepared for any project that may generate a significant impact on the environment. An EIR is an analytical report that describes a proposed project, discusses the impacts or potential impacts that would be generated by implementing the project and recommends ways these impacts can mitigated (mitigation measures). If impacts cannot be mitigated to reduce the impact to a level of insignificance, they are identified as “unavoidable adverse impacts” of the project. In reality, only the larger project proposals have EIRs prepared because most medium and small projects are either exempt from CEQA or are allowed to have a much briefer analysis prepared. EIRs must be circulated for a 45 day public review period before they are finalized. They are usually the most important and useful source of public information about a proposed plan or development project and are reviewed by individuals and public agencies as a means to en
Related Questions
- When will the environmental review process begin, and when will the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) available for comment?
- What is the difference between and EIR (Environmental Impact Report) and an EIS (Environmental Impact Statement)?
- When will the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) be available for comment?
