The Environmental Impact Report (EIR) is required under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), a law passed in 1970 shortly after the Federal Government passed the National Environmental Policy Act. CEQA requires development projects to submit documentation of their potential environmental impact. The EIR assesses impact on the natural, social and economic environment. The EIR may also suggest mitigations to alleviate any negative impacts of the project.
In a vote of the Alameda City Council/ARRA (the Council acting as the Alameda Reuse and Redevelopment Agency) last Tuesday, October 20th, a contract to hire the agency to conduct the EIR was approved. SunCal is required to foot the bill, which is estimated at $2 million.
There are two particularly ironic aspects to this process. First, an EIR is normally done on an approved project. Voters must approve the plan in the Revitalize Alameda Point initiative because it allows housing that is not Measure A compliant. The Council is scheduled to select an election date at their November 3rd meeting. Yet, before an election is set, SunCal is being asked to pay for this very expensive process without the normal assurance that they have an approved plan.
And, of course, the second irony is that the Mayor (and, it appears, the Interim City Manager), is opposing the very same plan the Council is asking SunCal to invest an additional $2 million dollars in.
We do have to admire the good faith move of SunCal to invest in an EIR at this time. Click here to read the SunCal press release on the EIR decision.
