Draft Environmental Impact Report - East Bay Municipal Utility District

Estates Reservoir Replacement Draft Environmental Impact ReportIntroductionDuring the 60-day review period, written comments should be mailed or handdelivered to:Gwen Alie, Associate PlannerEast Bay Municipal Utility District375 Eleventh Street (Mail Slot 701)Oakland, CA 94607-4240galie@ebmud.com1.2.4 Final EIRWritten and oral comments received on this Draft EIR will be addressed in a Response toComments document that together with this Draft EIR, will constitute the Final EIR. TheResponse to Comments document will also stipulate any changes to the Draft EIRresulting from public and agency input.The EBMUD Board of Directors will consider certification of the Final EIR at a regularlyscheduled Board meeting in December 2009 or January 2010, adopting findingsconcerning its feasibility and environmental merits based on the contents of this EIR andthe administrative record. Upon certification, EBMUD may proceed with projectapproval actions, including design and construction of the Project.CEQA requires that the lead agency neither approve nor implement a project withoutdetermining whether the project’s significant environmental effects have been reduced toa less than significant level, essentially "eliminating, avoiding, or substantially lessening"the expected impacts. If the lead agency approves the project with any residualsignificant adverse impacts that cannot be mitigated to a less than significant level, theagency must state the reasons for its action in writing. This Statement of OverridingConsiderations must be included in the record of project approval.1.2.5 Mitigation Monitoring and ReportingState law requires lead agencies to adopt a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program(MMRP) for those changes to the project that have been adopted or made a condition ofproject approval in order to mitigate or avoid significant effects on the environment. TheCEQA Guidelines do not require that the specific reporting or monitoring program beincluded in the EIR. However, throughout this EIR, proposed mitigation measures havebeen clearly identified and presented in language that will facilitate establishment of amonitoring program. Furthermore, comments received during the public review periodon the mitigation measures and their implementation will also be considered for inclusionin the MMRP. All adopted measures will be included in a mitigation monitoring andreporting program for EBMUD to verify compliance through the project Design,Construction and Maintenance phases.sb09_001.doc 1-3 7/22/2009