Author: Oscar Balaguer
Good news.
In a December 3, 2023 Sacramento Bee opinion piece, we (a) took the County to task for delays and performance failures; (b) reported that the County will address eight long-standing 350 concerns, including by preparing a full environment impact report (EIR) for its draft CAP; and (c) listed possible future problems.
The County has now released a “notice of preparation” (NOP) for the EIR, inviting agency and public comment on the EIR’s scope, and the alternatives to be considered. The timing is irregular because, per the County’s workplan, the NOP comes past the mid-way point in the EIR/CAP revision schedule; whereas CEQA (14 CCR §15082) requires it “Immediately after deciding that an environmental impact report is required.”
In any case, the NOP addresses the concern we expressed in the Bee opinion piece that the County was apparently not “consulting other agencies, [and] defining credible alternatives.” We’ll respond to the NOP by the January 31 due date.
The County is also holding a January 10, 2024 public meeting to receive input, and we encourage everyone to participate, either in person or online. (Details are available via the NOP link.)
