Association of Environmental Professionals | San Diego Chapter
FALL 2017
MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD by Corinne Lytle Bonine, Chambers Group Here we are again! As the rest of the country’s foliage changes and falls, I suppose we should be thankful that our perma-summer, once again, has delivered. In the spirit of giving thanks, with or without red, yellow, and orange leaves, I would like to thank my fellow Board members for their dedication and general awesomeness (yes, that’s a word). You are a group of people who genuinely leave every situation better than you found it and I so appreciate the opportunity to work with our AEP Family. Those of you interested in joining the Board of Directors are in luck: we will soon be accepting nominations for the 2018 San Diego AEP Board of Directors. If you have any questions or would like additional information, please don’t hesitate to contact me at clytle-bonine@chambersgroupinc.com or 619-241-1225. Do you want to be more involved in Chapter events, but aren't ready for a Board position? No problem! We welcome you to take an active role with SDAEP! Whether it is a one-time commitment to a committee or a more permanent position, there many other ways you can actively participate outside of the Chapter Board: • Present a luncheon topic • Join the Awards Committee or Awards Jury • Volunteer at the Holiday Party • Contribute an article to the newsletter Collectively, we, the Board of San Diego AEP promise to provide our members with the best possible experience. This includes monthly events consisting of both educational and recreational substance, regular newsletter and legislative updates, and social media platforms for discussion and sharing with your fellow professionals. I want to sincerely thank our members for participating in the Chapter Elections and all of our chapter activities. To that end, we are putting together a survey to help us provide the member services you all value most. Keep a look out for an email from us soon. While the survey will be anonymous, you do have an option to provide your name and contact information which will enter you into a drawing of all willing participants who complete the survey. And you definitely want to win this (sur)prize! Thanks again to everyone who has contributed to AEP! We are looking forward to closing out this year with you at our Legislative Update Breakfast, CEQA Essentials Workshop, and joint Holiday Party with the San Diego Section of the American Planning Association.
ENVIRONMENTOR
THE
AEP awards Summary by eRIN mURPHEY, AECOM
Volunteers on the 2016 Awards Committee.
The San Diego Chapter of AEP held its 17th Annual Awards and Scholarship Banquet on Thursday, October 5th at Mission Trails Regional Park. The theme for the evening was 'The NIght Sky' which was perfectly fitting for the beautiful full moon. The event was chaired by Kristin Blackson of ESA. In addition to the night’s scholarship and awards program, there was silent auction. All of our silent auction prizes were donated by generous local merchants and museums. including wine from San Pasqual Valley Winery and guest admission to the Natural History Museum. The funds raised on these fantastic auction items will directly fund next year’s scholarship winners. The evening began with a keynote discussion by Mr. Kin Searcy who filled us in on what was going on above our heads – the night sky. Kin has long been an avid amateur astronomer and the outreach coordinator for the San Diego Astronomy Association, which has over 550 members, an observatory facility at Tierra Del Sol, and conducts outreach events for over 10,000 people in San Diego annually. Kin has been a docent at Palomar Observatory for approximately 9 years and lead docent for half of that time. Kin also discussed light pollution and referenced resources available on the San Diego Astronomy Association website and the Palomar Observatory website. As only he can, Mr. Mike Nieto presented awards to winner's selected from nominations of impressive quality by volunteer jurors. Mike is the Principal of the Federal Team at RECON Environmental and oversees the firm's federal projects with the
2017 Awards
THE ENVIRONMENTOR, FALL 2017| {{page}}
""the san diego chapter scholarship fund has awarded more then $64,000 to deserving students""
General Services Administration, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and Customs and Border Protection. He brought musical talent to the podium with his ukulele once again as he entertained the audience with his newest hit "Let It Be (M-N-D)." San Diego AEP would like to give tremendous thanks to our guest speaker, presenters, sponsors, jurors, silent auction merchants, student volunteers, and everyone who attended the event. Thank you to this year's sponsors! AECOM Chambers Group Chen Ryan Dudek ESA Harris & Associates HELIX Environmental ICF International Linscott Law & Greenspan Michael Baker International Pan GIS PlaceWorks Port of San Diego RECON Environmental Rick Engineering Sophia Mitchell & Associates We would like to also thank this year's members of the Awards Committee. Thank you for volunteering your time to make this event possible! Kristin Blackson - Chair (ESA) Lauren Esposito (SANDAG) Chris Mendiara (LLG) Kelly Bray (Ascent Environmental) Lisa Maier (ESA) Donna Beddow (County of SD) Kassandra Nearn (County of SD) Janelle Kassarjian (ESA) Michael Page (RECON) Andrew Capobiano( RECON) Marlie Long (ESA) Roman Lopez (LLG)
{{page}} | THE ENVIRONMENTOR, FALL 2017
""Thank you to the mission trails regional park, our guest speaker kin searcy, and master of ceremonies mike nieto!""
awards summary (cont.)
2017 award winners
Outstanding Environmental Analysis Document EIR/EIS Award Port of San Diego and ICF San Diego Bay and Imperial Beach Oceanfront Fireworks Display Events Project EIR Outstanding Technical Report Award ESA and the City of Del Mar Coastal Hazards, Vulnerability, and Risk Assessment Outstanding Planning Document - Plan, Policy, or Ordinance Award North Park Planning Committee and City of San Diego North Park Community Plan Outstanding Environmental Analysis Document MND/EA Award PHE Engineering and the Department of the Navy Final EA For Re-commissioning of Three Military Training Routes in Southern California and Modification of Three Military Training Routes in Southern Arizona Outstanding Innovation in Green Planning and Design Award City of San Diego and Ascent Environmental Climate Action Plan Checklist Outstanding Contribution to the Environmental Profession Award Presented to Claudia Anzures
Legislative Update with AEP Lobbyist (Breakfast Event) Join us for a breakfast event with AEP's lobbyist and receive an update of the year's CEQA legislation, pending rulemaking, and challenges to proposed legislation. In the fast-paced world of CEQA law, this event is a must!
UPCOMING EVENTS
NOVEMBER 9
DECEMBER 7
CEQA Essentials Workshop at Marina Village Conference Center, 1936 Quivira Way, San Diego, CA 92109 Each fall, AEP holds a CEQA Essentials Workshop. This workshop provides a basic understanding of the fundamentals of CEQA and the State Guidelines, and includes intermediate-level practice pointers and case studies. This workshop features a curriculum developed specifically for people involved in the environmental review process, and will benefit those new to the field as well as mid-level practicing professionals
NOVEMBER 2
Save the Date for the AEP & APA 2017 Holiday Party at the Coaster Terrace in Belmont Park!
THE ENVIRONMENTOR, FALL 2017 | {{page}}
This year's Membership Appreciation Event featured trivia! Members tested their knowledge on questions about California, San Diego, and CEQA. Members Diane Sandman, Kristin Blackson, and Chris Mendiara were our winners!
chapter events
This year's AEP Institute was held at the LA Metro Headquarters and featured a conversation about SB 743. The symposium brought together experts and diverse stakeholders to facilitate dialogue about regional, county, and local perspectives on implementing SB 743 and the integration of SB 743 into the CEQA Guidelines.
chapter events (CONT)
aep BOARD out and about
On August 8, 2017, AEP San Diego Board Members Corinne Lytle Bonine (Chapter President, right) and Laurel Glass Lees (Chapter Vice President of Membership, left) attended the Caltrans District 11 Professional Organization Fair. Over 10 other professional organizations attended including the International Right of Way Association, American Public Works Association, Women in Transportation, and American Planning Association, among others. Corinne and Laurel met engineers, IT specialists, project designers, environmental planners, and scientists who were interested in learning more about the benefits of joining AEP. Copies of the CEQA Statute and Guidelines gave participants an opportunity to get to know the breadth and depth of subject areas that must be analyzed under the law. Please let us know if your agency is hosting a Professional Organization Fair or similar event, so we can distribute information and provide one-on-one feedback to your staff efficiently. Contact us at SDAEPBoard@califaep.org to coordinate.
Originally from Los Angeles, Han started her San Diego experience in 2011 attending the University of California, San Diego where she obtained her Bachelor of Science in Environmental Systems - Earth Sciences. During her time as a student, she co-founded a student organization called Engineers for a Sustainable World and later became the treasurer. She also was involved in a plastic waste reduction project for UCSD’s Housing & Dining Department that was in collaboration with EPA and the Product Stewardship Institute. During her senior year, she was a management intern for the City of San Diego Environmental Services Department under senior environmental planner, Ms. Lisa Wood. Upon graduating in 2015, she worked for Hunsaker & Associates, a civil engineering firm in San Diego, as the land survey coordinator for the department. Currently, she is applying to graduate school in hopes of getting her Master’s degree in environmental management with a focus on both business and public administration. In her free time, she enjoys quality time with her family and friends, exercising, watching documentaries, cooking healthy meals, and traveling to new places. You’ve recently taken a new position on the board. What made you want to get more involved and take a leadership position with AEP? When I first joined AEP as a student in 2013, I was blown away by the professionalism and the sense of community the organization instills in its members. I knew I wanted to surround myself around professionals who viewed the world through the environmental lens like me. Furthermore, I also wanted to learn about the profession of environmental planning among the most involved in San Diego. After becoming well-acquainted, I volunteered for the awards banquet committee for two consecutive years, where I helped out with planning and setting up for the event. I had such a great time being involved that it motivated me to join the SDAEP board as chapter treasurer for this year. I am very grateful to be working with such dedicated and driven individuals. The best part is we get our work done and still make time to have fun!
meet a board member: han le, treasurer
meet a board member (CONT): han le, treasurer
What advice would you give a recent graduate or young professional in the environmental industry? Two words. Join AEP! As recent graduates, one definitive thing we always lack is work experience. What better way to learn than to get some perspective and advice from actual professionals who are in the field! After becoming a member, I highly recommend attending as many events as possible. So it is definitely a good idea to brush up on those networking and socializing skills. Also, don’t be afraid to ask questions and talk to as many people as you can. And of course, challenge yourself to join a committee and get involved. The best way to learn anything new is to dive right in! What have you enjoyed most about working in the environmental field? I would have to say I enjoy getting to know the people in the environmental field the most. Despite constantly being challenged to think of things on a grander scale, this profession might have the most optimistic people on earth. Everyone that I have met is always willing to discuss about environmental issues and talk about how to solve them. It’s as if we have one common goal: to make the world a better place. Maybe it is due to the fact that people in this field all have some basic understanding of how deeply connected our earth system is therefore, conditioning us to be more sensitive to human decisions and activities. This field definitely attracts people who see beyond themselves to work towards a bigger picture. Now that’s my type of people! Thank you for all you do for the future generations!
Saakib Akbany
2017 Scholarship winners
Since its establishment in 2004, the San Diego Chapter Scholarship Fund has awarded more than $64,000 to deserving students in the environmental field. This year’s scholarship winners, Saakib Akbany (UCSD) and Annie Lee (UCSD), each received a $2,000 scholarship award and a one-year membership to AEP.
Saakib Akbany is an Environmental Engineering major at the University of California, San Diego. He is especially interested in renewable energy technology as well as environmental health. Through his work in sustainability, Saakib has traveled to Singapore, Malaysia, and Argentina and hopes to continue addressing environmental problems at a global scale.
Annie Lee
Annie Lee is an Environmental Policy and Urban Studies and Planning major at the University of California, San Diego. Annie is currently working for a consulting firm and hopes to be able to continue to grow as an Environmental Planner while exploring other potential career paths that will help her be more involved in protecting our environment.
UC SAN DIEGO EXTENSION Writing Effective CEQA Documents - Online 10/30/17 - 12/8/17 Advanced CEQA - Online 1/22/18 - 3/23/18 Industrial Stormwater Compliance Workshop - In Class 2/6/18 - 2/7/18 CEQA in Practice - Online 2/12/18 - 3/23/18 Navigating SB 743 Implementation - In Class 3/15/18 UC davis Extension Introduction to NEPA - Online, 1/29/18 - 3/2/18 2018 AEP Conference The 2018 AEP Conference will take place in Southern California! Save the date for AEP 2018: Earth, Wind, Fire & Rain at the Westin Mission Hills Resort & Spa in Rancho Mirage, California from March 25th-28th, 2018. Awards nominations are due November 17, 2017. More information can be found on the State AEP website.
Announcements
This year's winning photograph was entered by Julia Norris, independent consultant. The winning photograph was selected by ballot at the 2017 Awards Event.
2017 Photography Contest Winner
This year's award for Outstanding Contribution to the Environmental Profession was awarded to Claudia Anzures. Claudia Anzures is an attorney specializing in California Land Use Planning law, CEQA and Federal and State Endangered Species Act issues. She retired in 2014 after serving 26 years with the Office of County Counsel for the County of San Diego where she served as Chief Deputy over the Advisory Division of the Office and as counsel to the County Board of Supervisors on its land use agenda matters. She is currently under contract with the County Counsel's office to provide legal advice on various projects, including the development of the North County Multiple Species Conservation Plan. Her experience includes being the lead counsel on a number of long term land use projects, such as the South County Multiple Species Conservation Plan and the County's General Plan Update adopted in 2011. She also served as lead counsel for County Public Works and Parks projects and advised the Planning and Development Services Department of the County regarding countless private development project issues.In addition, she was chief counsel for Native American legal issues for the County, including tribal gaming issues, negotiating 8 Tribal-County Agreements for the County of San Diego.
Claudia Anzures: Outstanding Contribution to the Environmental Profession
SDAEPBoard@califaep.org President Corinne Lytle Bonine Chambers Group clytle-bonine@chambersgroupinc.com Co-Vice Presidents of Programs Alexandra Martini DUDEK amartini@dudek.com Chelsea Ohanesian AECOM chelsea.ohanesian@aecom.com Vice President of Membership Laurel G. Lees llees@greatecology.com Treasurer Han Le hanle.729@gmail.com Secretary Darin Neufeld County of San Diego darinn.neufeld@sdcounty.ca.gov Student Membership and Outreach Director Katie Laybourn DUDEK klaybourn@dudek.com Chapter Director Julia Norris Julia Norris Consulting, julia@julianorrisconsulting.com Newsletter Editor Erin Murphey AECOM erin.murphey@aecom.com
Chapter Website: www.sd.califaep.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/SanDiegoAEP LinkedIn: Association of Environmental Professionals - San Diego Chapter Twitter: www.twitter.com/AEPSanDiego Instagram: @AEPSanDiego #AEPSanDiego Contact the Newsletter Editor at: sdaepnews@gmail.com
Chapter Contacts
SOCIAL MEDIA
AEP - San Diego Chapter P.O. Box 82604 San Diego, CA 92138 http://sd.califaep.org/
2017 chapter BOARD
