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Section 1 <br />SECTION 1.0 INTRODUCTION <br />1.1 Purpose and Authority <br />The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the CEQA Guidelines <br />strongly encourage State and local agencies to prepare a combined document <br />(i.e., one document which satisfies both NEPA and CEQA) for projects where <br />time is of the essence (Section 21083,6, Guidelines Section 15222), The NEPA <br />regulations similarly encourage Federal agencies to cooperate with local <br />agencies "to the fullest extent possible to reduce duplication between NEPA and <br />comparable State and local requirements," including the preparation of a joint <br />document (40 GFR 1506.2). A joint document cannot be prepared solely by a <br />State or local agency; it must include direct Federal agency involvement (40 CFR <br />1506.2). Pursuant to the National Environmental Poiicy Act (NEPA) and the <br />California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the United States National Park <br />Service and the Orange County Water District (OCW D) have prepared a joint <br />Initial Study-Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Assessment (EIR/EA) <br />for the proposed Mid Basin Centennial Park Injection Well Project. <br />This EIR/EA has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the <br />National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) [42 United States Code {USC) 4341 at <br />seq.], and in conformance with the Council for Environmental Quality (CEQ) <br />Guidelines and the National Park Service NEPA implementing regulations. The <br />document also fulfils the requirements of the California Environmental Quality <br />Act (CEQA) [California Public Resources Code {PRC) 21000 et seq], and the <br />State CEQA Guidelines [California Administrative Code (CAC) 15000 et seq] <br />and the Orange County Water District (OCWD) CEQA Procedures. <br />Section 1508.16 of the NEPA Guidelines defines the lead agency as, "the agency <br />or agencies preparing or having taken primary responsibility for preparing the <br />environmental impact assessment." Section 21067 of the CEQA Guidelines <br />defines the lead agency as, "the public agency which has the principal <br />responsibility for carrying out or approving a project which may have a significant <br />effect upon the environment," The National Park Service is the NEPA lead <br />agency and the OCWD is the CEQA lead agency. <br />Under NEPA, an EA must briefly provide sufficient evidence and analysis for <br />determining whether to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) or a <br />Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI); aid an agency's compliance with <br />NEPA when no environmental impact statement is necessary; or facilitate <br />preparation of a statement when one is necessary. The EA is required to include <br />a brief discussion of the need for the proposal, alternatives as required by section <br />Mid Basin Centennial Park Project Final EIR 1-1 <br />W1111 4 <br />