Message from the President
Dear OCAEP Members and Friends,
Happy Fall time! I hope this newsletter finds you all well and that you are able to take advantage of the pumpkin flavored holiday items - and of course the copious amounts of candy! Our Chapter has been busy over the last couple of months with engaging events for our members. On July 30, our Chapter hosted a virtual lunch program with the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR). Specifically, Jeannie Lee, Scott Morgan, Christine Asiata, and Natalie Kuffel presented on the current Hot Topics in CEQA. This lunch program was a huge success, quickly selling out the 100 slots, and raising $1,000 for the Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County! We want to thank all of our members for attending this program and for contributing to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County. We would also like to thank OPR for taking the time out of their busy schedules to present on the current hot topics in CEQA.
Further, our Chapter joined the Los Angeles Chapter in hosting a lunch program that discussed the Transportation Impact Analysis in the age of SB 743 and COVID. This joint OC/LA AEP lunch program was hosted on August 27 and raised $340 for the Los Angeles Food Bank! We would like to thank the Los Angeles Chapter and Giancarlo Ganddini for the hugely successful lunch program. In total, our chapter members have helped raise $1,300 for local food banks during this COVID-19 pandemic. Thank you to everyone who joined these lunch programs. As we near the end of 2020 our board will be busy planning other virtual events for our members, as well as giving back to the local students. Please keep an eye out for the result of our 2020 Scholarship Program and the 2021 Governing Board elections. Have a wonderful season!
Sincerely,
Pierre Glaize
President, OCAEP
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AEP is currently offering complimentary Student Memberships amidst COVID-19! This offer is valid until December 31, 2020, so be sure to join now!*
* Includes all of the individual membership services and eligibility for the annual AEP Student Awards Program. Student members must be currently enrolled in 12 units or more at an accredited school. The State Conference Committee typically offers students reduced registration rates to the State Conference. |
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A Special Message from the OCAEP Board of Directors
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As we continue to navigate these unprecedented times, OCAEP is committed to providing our members the same high-quality, consistent, relevant, and timely lunch programs through web-based platforms. We sincerely appreciate your understanding and look forward to catching up at future in-person programs and special events!
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Upcoming Programs & Events
NAEP Advanced NEPA Workshop: Final Rule: Update to the Regulations Implementing the Procedural Provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act
November 16, 2020, 11:00 AM to 7:45 PM EST
Advanced NEPA Workshops are intended to provide participants with practical tips and tools about how to refine preparation and review of environmental documents prepared pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). These workshops introduce environmental professionals to the July 16, 2020 Council on Environmental Quality Final Rule: “Update to the Regulations Implementing the Procedural Provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act," and best practices for NEPA compliance during the transition to the new Final Rule. This eight-hour intensive workshop has been organized into six topics. Learn more about the Advanced NEPA Workshop on November 16.
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Recent Programs & Events
Understanding the Constant Changes of Regulatory Permitting: Why is Water so Hard to Define
May 12, 2020
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Richard Beck of Michael Baker International presented on current changes to regulations for both state and federal waters in "Understanding the Constant Changes of Regulatory Permitting". The presentation provided a brief history on the evolution of federal waters regulations, a detailed overview of new regulations and how jurisdictional waters and wetlands will be mapped moving forward. Mr. Beck reviewed State Water Quality Control Board's new dredge and fill policy and provided guidance on the expansion of state wetlands under the new wetland definition. Mr. Beck concluded the presentation by providing valuable tips on how to navigate through these changes with current and future projects.
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Navigating Compensatory Mitigation through Changing Regulations and Scientific Understanding
June 3, 2020
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OCAEP proudly offered a free lunch webinar on compensatory mitigation to our membership in June 2020. Thank you to Ashley Zavagno (WRA, Inc.) for illuminating our members with the many ways regulations governing mitigation and our scientific understanding of restoration have changed substantially in the 30+ years compensatory mitigation has existed.
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Hot Topics in CEQA
July 30, 2020
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In July, our members were addressed by the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR) staff to hear about some of the recent changes to CEQA and what is on the horizon. OPR presented on the major highlights of legislation signed into law in 2019 and court cases and presented an overview of the the State Clearinghouse’s CEQAnet Database and Site Check CEQA mapping tool for housing projects. Thank you to our panelists Jeannie Lee, AICP, Scott Morgan, Christine Asiata Rodriguez, and Natalie Kuffel. We are proud to share that 100% of the profits from this lunch and learn were donated to Second Harvest Food Band of OC.
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Transportation Impact Analysis in the Age of SB 743 and COVID-19
August 27, 2020
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OCAEP recently held a lunch program with the LA Chapter of AEP on Transportation Impact Analysis in the Age of SB 743 and COVID-19. Giancarlo Ganddini (Ganddini Group, Inc.) provided an in-depth overview current state of transportation planning practice in the southern California region, including:
• VMT impact analysis in practice;
• The future of Level of Service analysis; and
• Considerations for data collection during a pandemic.
OCAEP is proud to share that 100% of the profits from this lunch and learn were donated to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank.
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Planning for the Future: A Panel Discussion on Environmental Careers
October 22, 2020
The Orange County, Channel Counties, and San Francisco Bay Area Chapters of the AEP recently hosted an environmental career panel, where student members were encouraged to ask questions to a variety of professionals in the environmental field and find out how they made it to where they are now. Thank you to our panelists Pierre Glaize, Lee Reis, Vanessa Shevlin, Claudia Garcia, and Travis Belt.
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OCAEP 2020 Scholarship Program
Application Deadline is 11/15/2020!
Orange County Chapter of the Association of Environmental Professionals (OCAEP) is accepting applications from students for our 2020 Scholarship Program. OCAEP will award three scholarships totaling $5,000 ($2,500, $1,500, and $1,000) to undergraduate/graduate students pursuing a career in the environmental field!
Details regarding eligibility, application materials, and deadlines can also be found at https://oc.califaep.org/scholarship_application_packet.php. The application deadline is November 15, 2020. Applications can be submitted online at https://www.memberleap.com/members/form.php?orgcode=CAE4&fid=4346333.
OCAEP believes in the importance of supporting the educational goals of our future leaders, and we strongly encourage interested students to apply. Please pass this email along to fellow students who may be interested. Do not hesitate to contact Kristen Bogue at kbogue@mbakerintl.com with any questions! We look forward to receiving your application!
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TIP OF THE QUARTER
The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) recently updated its National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations (40 CFR 1500 et seq.) for the first time in over 40 years. You can read CEQ's Final Rule Modernizing its NEPA Implementing Regulations here.
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HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT TO SHARE?
Let us know by emailing OCAEP Admin VP-Newsletter, Alicia Gonzalez at alicia.gonzalez@mbakerintl.com and we will get it in the next OCAEP newsletter !
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