NR 416 Midterm Exam Questions And
Answers
/. The objectives of CEQA include each of the following, except:
disclose agency decision making
enhance public participation
avoid environmental damage
foster increased litigation - Answer-✅does NOT include foster increased litigation
/.True or false: for CEQA analysis, "the environment" only includes resources that are
part of the natural environment (water, air, etc.) - Answer-✅false
/.The application of CEQA greatly changed with CA supreme court decision in the
Friends of Mammoth v. Board of Supervisors of Mono County (1972), which specifically
determined that:
- lead agencies may impose fees on the project applicant for CEQA implementation
- CEQA applies exclusively to projects proposed and implemented by a public agency
- CEQA analyses must consider both natural and man-made environmental issue areas
- CEQA also applies to private projects requiring a government permit or entitlement -
Answer-✅CEQA also applies to private projects requiring a government permit or
entitelment
/.The ________ is responsible for formal rule making and the adoption of the CEQA
Guidelines:
Natural Resource Agency
Responsible Agency
Lead Agency
Trustee Agency - Answer-✅Natural Resource Agency
/.CEQA authorizes lead agencies to do all of the following, except:
- disapprove a project to avoid significant environmental effects
- require changes in a project to avoid significant environmental effects
- impose fees on the project applicant for CEQA implementation
- impose mitigation requirements on agencies adjacent to their jurisdiction - Answer-
✅CEQA does NOT authorize Lead Agencies to impose mitigation requirements on
agencies adjacent to their jurisdiction
/.True or False: a public agency is the Lead Agency for its own projects, even if the
project will be located within jurisdiction of another agency. - Answer-✅True
/.A ________ is an agency other than the Lead Agency that also has a legal
responsibility (or discretionary authority) for carrying out or approving a project.
, responsible agency
cooperating agency
collaborating agency
natural resources agency - Answer-✅Responsible Agency
/.Third party environmental consultants can be hired to assist in the CEQA process in a
variety of ways including: preparing technical documents for the applicant OR:
- writing the CEQA document on behalf of the lead agency
- writing the CEQA document on behalf of the developer
- managing the construction approved development
- litigating the results of the lead agency's CEQA analysis - Answer-✅Writing the CEQA
document on behalf of the Lead Agency
/.The primary "tools" used by urban planners for land use regulation include: - Answer-
✅Zoning Code
General Plan
/.Identify two federal, state, or local agencies that have the potential to be CEQA
Responsible Agencies. Explain the role of the Responsible Agency in the CEQA
process. - Answer-✅Caltrans and the California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife are two
examples of agencies that have the potential to be CEQA Responsible Agencies.
The Responsible Agency in the CEQA process is the only type of agency other than
Lead with discretionary power over the proposed project. Responsible Agencies must
actively participate in the Lead Agency's CEQA process. They are required to rely on
the Lead Agency's environmental document to make project approvals, but must make
their own findings regarding the project. If necessary, they can step into the Lead
Agency role.
/.List five key Environmental Issue Areas (from Appendix G) - Answer-✅1) geology and
soils.
2) water.
3) aesthetic resources.
4) biological resources.
5) hazards and hazardous materials.
/.Explain the role of the Lead Agency in the CEQA process. - Answer-✅The role of the
lead agency in the CEQA process is to have principle responsibility for carrying out or
approving a project and therefore principal responsibility for preparing CEQA
documents, and to determine the level of documentation and scope of the documents.
/.True or False: In order to streamline the CEQA process, Lead Agencies may break a
project up into smaller segments in order to avoid or minimize the type of environmental
document that must be prepared. - Answer-✅False
Answers
/. The objectives of CEQA include each of the following, except:
disclose agency decision making
enhance public participation
avoid environmental damage
foster increased litigation - Answer-✅does NOT include foster increased litigation
/.True or false: for CEQA analysis, "the environment" only includes resources that are
part of the natural environment (water, air, etc.) - Answer-✅false
/.The application of CEQA greatly changed with CA supreme court decision in the
Friends of Mammoth v. Board of Supervisors of Mono County (1972), which specifically
determined that:
- lead agencies may impose fees on the project applicant for CEQA implementation
- CEQA applies exclusively to projects proposed and implemented by a public agency
- CEQA analyses must consider both natural and man-made environmental issue areas
- CEQA also applies to private projects requiring a government permit or entitlement -
Answer-✅CEQA also applies to private projects requiring a government permit or
entitelment
/.The ________ is responsible for formal rule making and the adoption of the CEQA
Guidelines:
Natural Resource Agency
Responsible Agency
Lead Agency
Trustee Agency - Answer-✅Natural Resource Agency
/.CEQA authorizes lead agencies to do all of the following, except:
- disapprove a project to avoid significant environmental effects
- require changes in a project to avoid significant environmental effects
- impose fees on the project applicant for CEQA implementation
- impose mitigation requirements on agencies adjacent to their jurisdiction - Answer-
✅CEQA does NOT authorize Lead Agencies to impose mitigation requirements on
agencies adjacent to their jurisdiction
/.True or False: a public agency is the Lead Agency for its own projects, even if the
project will be located within jurisdiction of another agency. - Answer-✅True
/.A ________ is an agency other than the Lead Agency that also has a legal
responsibility (or discretionary authority) for carrying out or approving a project.
, responsible agency
cooperating agency
collaborating agency
natural resources agency - Answer-✅Responsible Agency
/.Third party environmental consultants can be hired to assist in the CEQA process in a
variety of ways including: preparing technical documents for the applicant OR:
- writing the CEQA document on behalf of the lead agency
- writing the CEQA document on behalf of the developer
- managing the construction approved development
- litigating the results of the lead agency's CEQA analysis - Answer-✅Writing the CEQA
document on behalf of the Lead Agency
/.The primary "tools" used by urban planners for land use regulation include: - Answer-
✅Zoning Code
General Plan
/.Identify two federal, state, or local agencies that have the potential to be CEQA
Responsible Agencies. Explain the role of the Responsible Agency in the CEQA
process. - Answer-✅Caltrans and the California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife are two
examples of agencies that have the potential to be CEQA Responsible Agencies.
The Responsible Agency in the CEQA process is the only type of agency other than
Lead with discretionary power over the proposed project. Responsible Agencies must
actively participate in the Lead Agency's CEQA process. They are required to rely on
the Lead Agency's environmental document to make project approvals, but must make
their own findings regarding the project. If necessary, they can step into the Lead
Agency role.
/.List five key Environmental Issue Areas (from Appendix G) - Answer-✅1) geology and
soils.
2) water.
3) aesthetic resources.
4) biological resources.
5) hazards and hazardous materials.
/.Explain the role of the Lead Agency in the CEQA process. - Answer-✅The role of the
lead agency in the CEQA process is to have principle responsibility for carrying out or
approving a project and therefore principal responsibility for preparing CEQA
documents, and to determine the level of documentation and scope of the documents.
/.True or False: In order to streamline the CEQA process, Lead Agencies may break a
project up into smaller segments in order to avoid or minimize the type of environmental
document that must be prepared. - Answer-✅False
