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<br />1250, 1252, and 1254 Edgewood Road, Redwood City
<br />Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration Proposal
<br />March 25, 2009
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<br />Page 14
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<br />2. Overview of TRA Environmental Sciences, Inc.
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<br />TRA Environmental Sciences, Inc. (TRA), formerly known as Thomas Reid Associates, is a full-
<br />service environmental consulting firm, established in 1972, that specializes in CEQA/NEP A
<br />environmental impact analysis and conservation planning. The firm has a wide range of in-house
<br />expertise and has prepared environmental documents on a variety of projects including airport,
<br />creek and levee projects, schools, subdivisions, quarries, landfills, recreational developments,
<br />trails, wastewater treatment plants, water pipelines, and General, Specific, and Master Plans.
<br />TRA also prepares specialty analyses such as endangered species habitat conservation programs,
<br />constraints analyses, biological assessments, peer review of other environmental reports,
<br />mitigation monitoring, habitat restoration plans, computer-generated visual studies and noise
<br />studies.
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<br />We are certified as a California Small Business, #44133, as defined by the Department of
<br />General Services, pursuant to Section 14837 of the Government Code and Section 1896, Title 2,
<br />of the California Code of Regulations.
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<br />The following paragraphs describe TRA's particular areas of expertise which we perform
<br />without the use of subconsultants, unless otherwise mentioned. Following these paragraphs is a
<br />selected listing of projects that highlight our experience with residential hillside developments.
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<br />California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)/National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
<br />Documents. TRA has prepared all types of CEQA and NEP A documents, including
<br />environmental impact reports (EIR), environmental impact statements (EIS), combined EIR/EIS,
<br />environmental assessments (EA), combined EIR/EA, Initial Studies (IS), Initial Study/Mitigated
<br />Negative Declarations (IS/MND), and Categorical Exemptions. We have also completed
<br />environmental review of several types of documents prepared by other firms or agencies, such as
<br />the customized types of environmental documentation used by Caltrans.
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<br />TRA was founded to prepare environmental documents during the early years of NEP A and
<br />CEQA in the 1970' s and has remained in step with the evolution of the guidelines for
<br />environmental review of projects. We keep apprised of statutory and regulatory changes through
<br />journals, annual publications, conferences, and the California Office of Planning and Research
<br />(OPR) website and other relevant websites. Our work encompasses a wide range of projects
<br />including private development, land use planning, open space, recreation trails and facilities,
<br />annexations, public infrastructure (roads, utility corridors, bridges, water supply systems, flood
<br />control facilities, and wastewater treatment), quarries, solid waste projects, and other public
<br />facilities (airports, schools, library, juvenile hall, city hall, parks, police station). TRA prepares
<br />most environmental analysis in-house except of the use of subconsultants for traffic, geology,
<br />hydrology, cultural/historic, Phase I and II, and socio-economic analysis.
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<br />Habitat Conservation Planning and Endangered Species Permitting. TRA is highly qualified
<br />in habitat conservation planning and maintains a strong working relationship with various staff at
<br />the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The firm has authored or had major participation in dozens of
<br />habitat conservation plans for endangered species in California and elsewhere, as well as the
<br />Southern California Coastal Sage Scrub NCCP and the Placer Legacy conservation project,
<br />which are regional programs. TRA prepared the first Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP)
<br />completed under the Endangered Species Act, which was for San Bruno Mountain. The firm has
<br />also been assisting San Mateo County with the implementation of that conservation plan since its
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<br />TRA ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES, INC.
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