PCI staff members have a range of technical expertise to address environmental compliance needs in several key ways. We have a deep understanding of our region’s ecological and social issues, and our scientists, planners, and designers have worked in virtually every type of habitat found in the North Bay area. Our ecological and biological assessments not only detail existing conditions in the project area and provide recommendations to protect the environment, they also bring an understanding of the realities of construction as a result of PCI’s 25 years of on-the-ground experience overseeing and implementing projects.

Our permitting strategy is to expedite approvals through early coordination among the client, designers, planners, and regulators to evaluate potential issues and generate proactive solutions. The goal is to agree upon a design that is both low-impact and effective in meeting the client’s objectives. Whether your project requires only a local grading permit or a full suite of state, federal, and local approvals, our experience will allow you to comply with all regulatory requirements by integrating them into the project’s design. Early consultation with regulators is key so that instead of being a stumbling block, they assist the team in designing a great project. PCI staff commonly negotiate approvals from the California Department of Fish & Game, State and Regional Water Boards, Division of Water Rights, NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC), California Coastal Commission, and local jurisdictions.

PCI performs California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review and prepares documentation that complies with both the letter and the spirit of state and federal laws. Ecological and biological assessments provide the basis for analysis of the environmental constraints and opportunities of the project’s conceptual design, and interdisciplinary communication allows PCI’s scientists, planners, and designers to facilitate avoidance or reduction of potential impacts, which in turn allows for a less extensive and, therefore, less expensive form of review. Our CEQA/NEPA compliance services range from simple statutory and categorical exemptions/exclusions to more complex review, including CEQA Initial Study, [Mitigated] Negative Declaration ([M]ND), Environmental Impact Report (EIR), and Mitigation, Monitoring, and Reporting Plan (MMRP); NEPA Environmental Assessment (EA), Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI), Environmental Impact Statement (EIS); and combined CEQA/NEPA documentation.