Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) - California Department of ...

8. Growth-Inducing Impacts
affected by the increased population are responsible for making fundamental decisions
about land use and growth and considering the environmental effects of their growth and
land use planning decisions. When new developments are proposed, the cities and
counties prepare environmental documents pursuant to CEQA. Where appropriate, they
must consider mitigation measures, alternatives and overriding considerations.
Mitigation Measures
The ability to make changes or alternations that could potentially avoid or substantially
lessen some of this potentially significant environmental effect is within the responsibility
and jurisdiction of other public agencies, primarily cities and counties and such changes
have been adopted by such other agencies or can and should be adopted by such other
agencies. Neither the Department nor most local water supply agencies have authority
to make local decisions regarding growth and where it will occur. The Department does
not have the ability or the authority to identify and monitor or regulate land use decisions
made by local government or to establish general rules that would govern these
decisions. These decisions are within the authority and jurisdiction and properly deferred
to local decision-makers, such as cities and counties, where specific projects can be
more fully described and are ready for detailed analysis and appropriate mitigation
measures. In addition to measures imposed by local decision-makers, federal, State
and local governments implement numerous mitigation strategies for specific project
impacts such as Best Management Practices (BMPs) to minimize water quality and air
emission impacts. The Department also issues the SWP Delivery Reliability Report
every two years which informs local decision-makers of water supply limitations of SWP
water.
Final Environmental Impact Report February 2010
Monterey Plus 8-48