Innovative Approaches to Mitigating Cumulative Impacts

by Catherine Callahan, Santa Barbara County Resource, Management Dep, Santa Barbara, CA, USA,
Amy Margerum, Santa Barbara County Resource, Management Dep, Santa Barbara, CA, USA,
Sharon Maves, Santa Barbara County Resource, Management Dep, Santa Barbara, CA, USA,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Coastal Zone '87

Abstract:

Faced with rapid acceleration in offshore oil and gas development, Santa Barbara County has advanced the recognition, evaluation, and mitigation of cumulative impacts. The County's approach to cumulative impacts has evolved from largely reactive, project-specific mitigation measures to comprehensive planning, including the timely development of focused planning studies, innovative permit conditions, and a comprehensive policy framework. Based on the experience gained through processing numerous project permits, the County has produced new methodologies, strategies, policies, and programs to deal with cumulative impacts. These approaches include standard significance criteria for cumulative impacts, methods of determining each project's share of cumulative impacts, a comprehensive oil transportation plan, mitigation of cumulative impacts through resource enhancement funds, facility consolidation studies and policies, ongoing multi-agency evaluation of cumulative socioeconomic impacts, and multi-agency air quality strategies.

Subject Headings: Mitigation and remediation | Offshore platforms | Wells (oil and gas) | Project management | Non-renewable energy | Coastal processes | Permits | California | United States

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