Land development plans and projects have the potential to generate harmful air pollutants that degrade air quality and increase local exposure. In 1970, the California State Legislature adopted the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to establish a procedure for evaluating the environmental effects of proposed projects (both public and private). Every development project which is not exempt from CEQA must be analyzed to determine the potential environmental effects.  The information is provided in an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) which not only includes the environmental effects for the proposed project, but how to avoid or mitigate any significant adverse impact, if feasible.

The City of Palo Alto uses the Bay Area Air Quality Management Districts (BAAQMD) CEQA Guidelines for assessing compliance with CEQA, including its thresholds of significance, or when an action causes a “significant” adverse impact. The Guidelines provide instruction on how to evaluate, measure, and mitigate air quality impacts generated from land development construction and operation activities.   

Resources:

• California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA): http://ceres.ca.gov/ceqa/
• Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) Guidelines:  http://www.baaqmd.gov/Divisions/Planning-and-Research/CEQA-GUIDELINES.aspx