ABSTRACT

This case study addresses the environmental impact report (EIR) on the general plan for San Joaquin County, a 1400-square-mile (3600 km2) area located in California's great central valley The general plan will guide land-use decisions extending to the year 2010. Unlike EIRs prepared for specific development projects, a ‘planning programme’ EA addresses general and cumulative impacts over a long time period, and can recommend mitigation measures that are more far-reaching than those for a specific project.