Environmental Impact Reports

An environmental impact report is a public disclosure document required by the California Environmental Quality Act. An EIR evaluates a proposed action and alternatives to the proposed action, and identifies significant environmental impacts and ways to reduce or avoid environmental damage.

"Guidelines for Implementation of the California Environmental Quality Act," in the California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Section 15000-15387, contains the rules governing EIR preparation to meet the requirements of CEQA. The "Guidelines" are updated from time to time. Users should make certain they have the most recent version. Call the Chief Counsel's Office for information.

The following information deals only with those aspects of the EIR that are not specifically covered elsewhere in the "Guidelines," such as cover, format, method of printing, and review and distribution.

• The cover is similar to the one used for division and district reports, with "Draft Environmental Impact Report" or "Final Environmental Impact Report" added and, usually, the name of the division or district that prepared the report omitted. Cover style is the same for both draft and final EIRs; only the designation and the date are changed.
• The title page is similar to the one used in division and district reports.
• By Department policy, EIRs are distributed free of charge on request and receive the same library distribution as division and district reports.
• Use of a foreword is optional. When a foreword is included, it is signed by the Director.
• A table of contents follows the style used in division and district reports.
• A table of metric conversion factors is included.
• Organizations and persons consulted during preparation of the EIR, including the staff who prepared it, must be listed in an EIR (Sec. 15129, Article 9). The list may appear at either the front or back of the document in a format similar to a standard DWR organization page.
• The format of an EIR is similar to that used in division and district reports.
• The approval process is the same as for division and district reports, with review by the Legal Office.

Return to DWR Publications Guidelines contents page.

Return to Reports Administration page.

Return to Divison of Planning Homepage.