Assignment No. 7: 
Mitigation Measures and Monitoring

1. to develop and explain an adequate range of mitigation measures for the expected environmental impacts, and
2. to offer a sound methodology for evaluation of the future performance of these mitigation measures.

Your memorandum must allow a reader to understand the significant impacts expected from the Preferred Alternative, the corresponding mitigation measures, and the associated monitoring program.  This memorandum constitutes a first draft of what will become a chapter of your semester project, the skeleton EIS/EIR.

As a starting point, you can use the description of the Preferred Alternative from your Alternatives Assessment (Assignment No. 6).  To the best of your knowledge, indicated what significant environmental impacts are expected from this alternative.  It may be useful to use some of the screening techniques employed in your Initial Study/Environmental Assessment (Assignment No. 4) to identify impacts, or more exact methods when possible.

The describe the proposed mitigation measures that will be used to reduce these impacts.  Remember that adequate mitigations under CEQA are, in decreasing order of preference [CEQA Guidelines, sec. 15370]:
 

1. Avoid: Avoid the impact altogether by not taking certain actions or parts of action.
2. Minimize: Minimize impacts by limiting the degree or magnitude of the action and its implementation.
3. Rectify: Rectify the impact by repairing, rehabilitating, or restoring the affected environment.
4. Reduce or Eliminate: Reduce or eliminate the impact over time by preservation and maintenance during the life of the action.
5. Compensate: Compensate for the impact by replacing or providing substitute resources or environments.

Then establish and describe a methodology to evaluate these mitigation measures (monitoring program); explain at least:
 

• how the results of the mitigations are going to be measured and monitored (e.g., specific testing procedures, surveys, real-time measurements, visual inspections, etc.)
• what criteria are going to be used for evaluation
• how the results of the mitigation measures are going to rated for each criterion
• how the criteria are going to be compared in importance with one another (rated, ranked, scaled, weighted, etc.)

Note: It is perfectly possible to have only one or two criteria per mitigation measure, as long as they are appropriate ones; this evaluation system is likely to be much simpler than the one used in Assignment No. 6 to rank alternatives.
 

Contents of the Memorandum

• brief project description
• location maps, indicating approximate boundaries of the project
• description of the Preferred Alternative and its expected environmental impacts.
• description and components of the proposed mitigation measures for each significant impact of the Preferred Alternative (under CEQA, each significant impact must have accompanying mitigations)
• description of the monitoring program associated with these mitigation measures (e.g., specific testing procedures, surveys, real-time measurements, visual inspections, etc.), including frequency of monitoring operations (e.g., weekly, monthly, quarterly, annually, continuous, etc.)
• appropriate tables, graphs, figures, maps, and other visual support

This is not an exhaustive list but a minimum.  Give sufficient detail and information to provide a meaningful context for the discussion of environmental impacts and mitigation measures that will take place later.
 

Format and Style

Include at least:
 

• memorandum heading, including date, preparers, subject, and routing information
• introduction, including project description
• description of mitigation program
• description of monitoring program
• brief conclusion summing up the significant impacts remaining after mitigation
• identifying headers and footers, including page numbers
• list of references

This is a team assignment.  Turn in one copy for the entire team, making sure to list all team members.

Due date: Monday, May 3, 1999 (by 5:00 PM).