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Proposal to Provide Environmental (CEQAINEPA) Consulting Services 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 UNDERSTANDING OF THE REQUEST. The City of Santa Ana Planning Division is seeking fines to provide professional environmental consulting si ervrees. The requested environmental services would consist primarily of the preparation of environmental documents required under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for proposed projects being processed by the Planning Division. Additional technical services required under this assignment may also include preparation of technical studies, peer review of technical studies prepared by others, preparation and processing of Initial Studies, Negative Declarations, Mitigated Negative Declarations, Environmental Impact Reports, Environmental Assessments, Environmental Impact Statements and other on -call technical staffing services. We are highly familiar with this type of professional services engagement and have been providing similar services to many local jurisdictions through the State, including the cities of Los Angeles and Long Beach and the Los Angeles County Community Development Commission. 1.2 PROJECT APPROACH FOR SUCCESSFUL CEQAINEPA COMPLIANCE. The purposes of the requested environmental documents would be to: (1) meet all of the legal requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and/or the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA); (2) identify the significant environmental effects of the proposed project; (3) suggest feasible mitigation for identified significant impacts; (4) identify possible alternatives that reduce or eliminate identified significant impacts; and (5) involve the community in the planning process. The environmental review process starts with careful examination of the project application and initial screening to determine the appropriate environmental document (i.e. Categorical Exemption, Initial Study/Negative Declaration or EIR) that will be required for each project. At Rincon, we take a solution -oriented approach to the environmental review process that focuses on resolving problems. This is accomplished in a variety of ways, including: • Effectively engaging stakeholder groups and the general; • Developing effective mitigation measures for identified impacts; and • Devising alternatives that respond to environmental conditions and good planning principles. Rincon managers and analysts are skilled at assisting agencies in not only meeting the legal requirements of the CEQA and NEPA processes, but in making the process useful for the applicant and the local community. At Rincon, we understand the need to become an extension of City staff in conducting the environmental review process. We will provide the City with regular progress reports on the work status, as well as the budget. Our teamwork approach will ensure that the City has direct access to strong technical expertise, while the consultant team will have direct access to community issues and local political concerns. 2.0 TYPICAL EIR WORK PLAN 2.1 TYPICAL EIR WORK PROGRAM. The major tasks associated with a typical EIR work program are described below. An EIS work program would generally be similar to the EIR program, though preparation of an EIS would also involve coordination with the federal lead agency and responses to comments on the Final EIS. Rincon s general approach to the analysis of issues likely to be of concern on projects in Santa Ana is described in Section 2.2. City of Santa Ana