Gary applies his education in economics, environmental studies, and business to infuse pragmatic insights into environmental analysis. With 35 years of experience, he has a diverse background in environmental studies for projects throughout California and the western United States. He is a CEQA and NEPA expert who develops practice methods, leads emerging analysis and policy trends, and helps his clients understand applicable regulations and case law. His expertise encompasses the federal and California endangered species acts and Clean Water Act and state requirements for regulation of wetlands and water quality regulations. Gary’s project management experience includes multi-task, on-call environmental assignments for projects throughout California; large-scale development plans; in-fill urban development; wastewater treatment infrastructure; parks, open space and vegetation management programs; industrial and energy facilities; telecommunications installations; prisons; and airport expansions. As a way to give back to the profession, Gary has led the development of the Association of Environmental Professional’s Advanced CEQA Workshop curriculum for several years.
Gary's background and capabilities include:
- Directed several specific plan EIRs and joint EIR/EISs for mixed-use projects, some as large as several thousand acres and supporting as many as 50,000 residents and jobs.
- Led CEQA compliance programs for California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation for over 25 years, involving over 30 prison facilities.
- Directed CEQA documentation for more than 25 wastewater treatment plants, including the Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District's Wastewater Treatment Plant Master Plan and Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant.
- Managed CEQA and NEPA documents for water supply projects, including projects in the Salinas Valley, San Francisco Bay Area, the Central Coast, Sacramento Valley, and El Dorado County.
- Managed open space planning and CEQA compliance on several projects in Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, and San Mateo counties, including the Mount Umunhum Environmental Restoration and Public Access Project.
- Assisted in the development of State-level greenhouse gas reduction policies in California, Washington, and Massachusetts.
- Served for the past seven years as curriculum director for the Association of Environmental Professionals Advanced CEQA workshop series, a statewide training program.
- Directs analyses of climate change effects on/from projects, including development of methodologies, standards and mitigation strategies, for both small and large land development projects.
- Managed CEQA documents for urban development projects, general plans, urban in-fill developments, and redevelopment programs.
- Directed more than 15 CEQA documents that have been found legally adequate after litigation.
- Instructor for CEQA and NEPA classes, workshops, and conferences for the Association of Environmental Professionals (state and national) and the American Planning Association, UC Davis, Coalition of Adequate School Housing, and several federal, state, and local agencies.
Gary is passionate about his work, as well as his personal/family life. He enjoys coaching his kids in Little League Baseball, riding his bike, being the ‘team’ photographer, and pursuing outdoor activities. He has also been known to use baseball metaphors to explain just about any situation; while he fouls off a few, some make it over the fence.