CEQA Practitioner Professional Program (Pre-Pay Discount 10%)

Gain a comprehensive introduction to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), its legislative foundation and its practical applications to public and private projects. Through case studies, project-based work and real-world examples, you’ll learn the CEQA process step by step, including exemptions, preliminary review, environmental documentation, public participation, mitigation and agency decision-making.

The course emphasizes how and when CEQA applies, how environmental documents are selected and prepared and how to navigate compliance requirements with confidence. You’ll also examine how recent guideline amendments, legislation, tribal consultation requirements and case law shape CEQA practice. By the end of the course, you’ll have the practical knowledge to meaningfully contribute to CEQA compliance efforts and environmental review processes.

Learning Outcomes

• Explain the purpose, structure and legislative intent of CEQA
• Identify projects subject to CEQA and determine when exemptions apply
• Describe each step of the CEQA process from preliminary review through project approval
• Differentiate Negative Declarations, Mitigated Negative Declarations and Environmental Impact Reports (EIRs)
• Evaluate threshold determinations and the circumstances requiring preparation of an EIR
• Summarize public notice, review, tribal consultation and agency decision-making requirements under CEQA
• Recognize the role of mitigation, monitoring, supplemental review and judicial review in CEQA compliance

Skills You Will Gain

• CEQA compliance workflow management
• Environmental document selection and evaluation
• Regulatory and statutory interpretation
• Threshold and impact analysis
• Public review and stakeholder coordination
• Mitigation planning and monitoring
• Legal risk awareness in environmental review

Course Format and Pacing
This is an online remote learning course delivered through UC Davis CPE’s learning management system, Canvas, with a supplemental live session hosted on Zoom. The course consists of approximately 6.5 hours of content, combining pre-recorded lectures with a mandatory live Zoom session led by the instructor(s).

Build on your foundational CEQA knowledge in this advanced, practice-focused seminar. This course examines the preparation, review and certification of CEQA documents, with an emphasis on impact analysis, alternatives, mitigation, climate change considerations and integration with related environmental laws.
Through in-depth modules and applied case examples, you’ll strengthen your ability to produce defensible CEQA documents, coordinate across regulatory programs and navigate common compliance challenges. The seminar emphasizes best practices for preparing clear, legally sound environmental analyses that withstand public scrutiny and judicial review.

Learning Outcomes

• Apply CEQA guidelines to determine appropriate environmental documentation for projects
• Analyze environmental settings and baselines and evaluate direct, indirect and cumulative impacts
• Develop and assess project alternatives consistent with CEQA requirements
• Design and evaluate mitigation measures addressing diverse environmental topics, including greenhouse gas emissions and climate change
• Integrate CEQA review with NEPA and other environmental regulatory frameworks
• Manage public review processes, responses to comments, certification and decision-making
• Identify common CEQA litigation risks and implement strategies for reducing legal vulnerability

Skills You Will Gain

• Defensible CEQA documentation development
• Advanced environmental impact analysis
• Mitigation strategy design
• Regulatory integration across CEQA and NEPA
• Public review and administrative record management
• CEQA litigation risk reduction

Course Format and Pacing
This is an online remote learning course delivered through UC Davis CPE’s learning management system, Canvas, with a supplemental live session hosted on Zoom. The course consists of approximately 12 hours of content, combining pre-recorded lectures with a mandatory live Zoom session led by the instructor(s).

Develop the expertise to draft, implement and monitor legally defensible mitigation measures under CEQA, NEPA and related environmental laws. This course examines the statutory requirements, recent case law and best practices that govern how mitigation measures must be structured to ensure they are clear, specific, feasible and enforceable.

Through practical examples, applied exercises and implementation checklists, you’ll explore mitigation strategies for complex environmental issue areas, including transportation (VMT), biological resources, cultural resources, air quality and climate change. The course emphasizes designing mitigation measures and monitoring programs that effectively reduce impacts to less-than-significant levels and withstand agency review and legal scrutiny.

Learning Outcomes

• Explain the legal standards governing mitigation measures under CEQA and NEPA
• Draft clear, specific and enforceable mitigation measures addressing a range of environmental impacts
• Evaluate mitigation feasibility, performance standards and implementation mechanisms
• Design mitigation monitoring and reporting programs consistent with statutory and regulatory requirements
• Apply mitigation approaches to specialized subject areas, including transportation (VMT), biological resources, cultural resources, air quality and climate change
• Analyze recent case law affecting mitigation adequacy and enforceability
• Compare monitoring and enforcement approaches used by public agencies

Skills You Will Gain

• Enforceable mitigation drafting
• Monitoring program development
• Impact reduction strategy planning
• CEQA/NEPA mitigation compliance
• Legal risk identification and defensibility
• Cross-agency coordination and implementation oversight

Course Format and Pacing
This is an online remote learning course delivered through UC Davis CPE’s learning management system, Canvas, with a supplemental live session hosted on Zoom. The course consists of approximately 6.5 hours of content, combining pre-recorded lectures with a mandatory live Zoom session led by the instructor(s).

Develop the project management expertise to successfully deliver CEQA documents on time, within budget and in full compliance with legal and procedural requirements. Designed for environmental consultants and professionals who collaborate with planners, agencies and applicants, this course focuses on practical strategies for managing CEQA projects from initiation through approval.

You’ll learn how to prepare defensible scopes of work, build realistic schedules and budgets, coordinate multidisciplinary teams and subconsultants and communicate effectively with agencies, clients and the public. The course also provides tools for managing risk, adapting to regulatory changes and maintaining quality control throughout the CEQA process.

Learning Outcomes

• Apply project management principles to a range of CEQA documents
• Develop clear, comprehensive scopes of work for CEQA projects
• Build and manage CEQA project schedules and budgets aligned with regulatory milestones
• Coordinate technical disciplines, data collection and subconsultants effectively
• Communicate strategically with lead agencies, applicants and stakeholders
• Manage public review processes, hearings and responses to comments
• Monitor legislative and procedural changes affecting CEQA project delivery and compliance

Skills You Will Gain

• CEQA project lifecycle management
• Scope, schedule and budget development
• Cross-disciplinary team leadership
• Regulatory compliance tracking
• Public and agency communication
• Risk management and quality assurance

Course Format and Pacing
This is an online remote learning course delivered through UC Davis CPE’s learning management system, Canvas, with a supplemental live session hosted on Zoom. The course consists of approximately 6.5 hours of content, combining pre-recorded lectures with a mandatory live Zoom session led by the instructor(s).

Build practical skills for developing clear, organized and legally defensible CEQA documents through a step-by-step approach to preparing environmental review materials. This course focuses on how to organize project information, coordinate technical inputs and write effective environmental analysis sections that support informed agency decision-making.

You’ll learn strategies for drafting concise environmental impact discussions, integrating technical studies into cohesive document sections and developing well-structured administrative records. The course also examines how project managers, technical specialists, authors and editors collaborate throughout the document preparation process—and how improved workflows can increase efficiency and reduce common documentation challenges.

Through applied exercises and real-world examples, you’ll practice outlining environmental documents, drafting environmental analysis sections, tracking technical references and reviewing project start-up materials. The course highlights best practices for producing professional CEQA documents that meet regulatory requirements, support transparent public review and help reduce litigation risk.

Learning Outcomes

• Organize and outline CEQA documents that clearly present project descriptions, environmental settings, impact analysis and mitigation measures
• Apply effective writing techniques to produce clear, concise and technically accurate environmental impact discussions
• Integrate technical studies and consultant input into cohesive environmental analysis sections
• Develop systems for tracking references, technical sources and supporting documentation used in CEQA analysis
• Evaluate the roles of project managers, technical specialists, authors and editors in the CEQA document preparation process
• Apply best practices for preparing environmental documentation that supports public review and defensible agency decisions
• Identify common writing and organizational challenges that increase CEQA litigation risk and implement strategies to avoid them

Skills You’ll Gain      

• Writing clear, concise environmental impact analysis for CEQA documents
• Organizing and structuring professional CEQA environmental review documents
• Integrating technical studies into cohesive environmental analysis sections
• Managing references and supporting documentation for CEQA analyses
• Collaborating with technical specialists and project teams during document preparation
• Identifying and addressing common CEQA documentation issues that increase litigation risk

Course Format and Pacing
This is an online remote learning course delivered through UC Davis CPE’s learning management system, Canvas, with a supplemental live session hosted on Zoom. The course consists of approximately 12 hours of content, combining pre-recorded lectures with a mandatory live Zoom session led by the instructor(s).