Featured Projects

The Problem:

The City of Bishop is a small, incorporated town located within the Owens Valley portion of Inyo County. Environmental and final design documents were prepared for the city for a 1,000-foot-long multi-modal trail connecting the city’s park to an adjacent neighborhood. Since Federal Transportation Enhancement funds were being utilized (Caltrans is the pass-through agency for the grant), it was necessary to prepare documentation to satisfy both the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

The Solution:

Serving as the project manager to collaborate with environmental subconsultants in conducting required special studies and preparing environmental documents. This included developing the CEQA initial study in accordance with CEQA and conducting studies for NEPA compliance through a categorical exclusion. The initial study preparation involved consulting with responsible agencies, assessing potential impacts on biological and cultural resources, conducting field verification of potential effects on wetlands and sensitive plant species, and developing a proposed mitigation and monitoring program for the project.

The Results:

Special studies conducted as a result of NEPA included a Visual Impact Assessment and Land Use and Community Impact Assessment Memorandum. A public information campaign was developed, a public workshop was held about the proposed trail, comments were collected from the workshop, and assistance was provided in preparing the final Initial Study, the Notice of Intent to Adopt a Negative Declaration, and the Notice of Determination for the project.