Awards

2023 Awards and Scholarships

The AEP Awards Committee is excited to announce the 2023 Awards and Scholarship Event will be held in person on Thursday, October 19, 2023. More exciting details to come! This means it's time to show off what you've been working so hard on all year! If you have worked on CEQA or NEPA-related projects in San Diego, Imperial, Orange, or Riverside Counties in the past year, submit a nomination application to win a shiny, new, and sustainable AEP Award! It's easy, it's fun, and everyone likes trophies!

Award Nominations

We are now accepting nomination applications for the best of the best environmental documents for CEQA or NEPA-related projects in Southern California. This year there will be a $60 application fee to submit nominations. This fee will directly fund this year's student scholarships. The nomination period closes on Friday, September 1, 2023, at 5pm.

Individuals, firms, or agencies can submit nominations for themselves or for others for projects located in San Diego, Imperial, Orange, or Riverside counties. Individuals and firms are limited to one nomination per category. The AEP Awards Jury will not be accepting self-nominations in the Outstanding Contribution to the Environmental Profession category. The AEP Awards Jury will review the nominations and announce up to three finalists for consideration to receive each award, except the Outstanding Contribution to the Environmental Profession award, in which only one recipient will be selected. All winners will be kept confidential until announced at the event. Finalists that are not selected as the winner will receive a Meritorious Award and be recognized for their achievement. AEP reserves the right to decline to give out an award in any category if a sufficient quantity or quality of submittals is not received. Final details regarding awards presentation and format will be provided to the finalists no later than two weeks prior to the awards event. The winners will be announced at the awards event.

Send nominations to: Avneet Sidhu, Awards Committee Member at avneet@gridlegal.com .

Digital submittals in PDF or Word format are required and may be on downloadable from FTP or via email.
Please ensure that Avneet confirms receipt.
All submittals are required to include a qualification form for their appropriate awards category. Qualification forms are located on the San Diego AEP website below.
Complete nominations must be received before the nomination period closes on September 1, 2023.

Please direct any questions, concerns, or other inquiries regarding this process to Avneet Sidhu at avneet@gridlegal.com.

Award Nomination Criteria

Outstanding Contribution to the Environmental Profession:

This award is given to an AEP member for unique, lifetime achievements and contributions in the environmental profession. The award can recognize lifetime achievements of excellence in the environmental profession and individual accomplishments in a specific environmental field or on an issue or topic. The San Diego Chapter Board will decide the recipient of this award.

Outstanding Environmental Analysis Document – EIR or EIS

This award is given to the agency and/or firm that published an outstanding environmental analysis or assessment document in 2022 or 2023 including an Environmental Impact Report (EIR), Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), and joint CEQA/NEPA document involving an EIR and/or EIS. Supplemental, Subsequent, and Program versions of such documents may be considered appropriate for this award category. The primary authors of the document must be based in San Diego or Imperial counties; however, the subject area of the report/survey may include San Diego, Imperial, Orange, or Riverside counties. All documents submitted must be accompanied with a letter from the lead agency providing concurrence for the category nomination. The AEP Awards Jury evaluates these types of documents on the basis of the following criteria:

Clarity of Organization and Writing – Logical and comprehensive; readable by the public, decision-makers, and professionals alike; concise, direct, and to the point;

Completeness – Adequate, reliable, and thorough presentation of documentation and data;

Adequacy of Summary – Concise, complete and salient;

Originality – Unique approach to analysis and data presentation and/or unique solution to environmental issues; and

Ease of Use – Electronic document that is easy to navigate and accessible to the public.

The nomination form for this category can be found HERE.

Outstanding Environmental Document – MND or EA:

This award is given to the agency and/or firm that published an outstanding environmental analysis or assessment document in 2022 or 2023 including a Negative Declarations (NDs), Mitigated Negative Declarations (MNDs), Environmental Assessments (EAs), and joint CEQA/NEPA documents involving an ND, MND and/or EA. The primary authors of the document must be based in San Diego or Imperial counties; however, the subject area of the report/survey may include San Diego, Imperial, Orange, or Riverside counties. All documents submitted must be accompanied with a letter from the lead agency providing concurrence for the category nomination. Draft or Final documents will be accepted, as long as they have completed public review. The AEP Awards Jury evaluates these types of documents on the basis of the following criteria:

Clarity of Organization and Writing – Logical and comprehensive; readable by the public, decision-makers, and professionals alike; concise, direct, and to the point;

Completeness – Adequate, reliable, and thorough presentation of documentation and data;

Originality – Unique approach to analysis and data presentation and/or unique solution to environmental issues; and

Ease of Use – Electronic document that is easy to navigate and accessible to the public.

The nomination form for this category can be found HERE.

Outstanding Planning Document- Plan, Policy, or Ordinance:

This award is given to an agency and/or firm that published an outstanding planning document that addresses environmental issues or gives special consideration to the environment in 2022 or 2023. Sample documents include but are not limited to General Plans, Transportation Plans, Development Plans, Resource Management Plans, Ordinances, etc. The primary authors of the document must be based in San Diego or Imperial counties; however, the subject area of the document may include San Diego, Imperial, Orange, or Riverside counties. All documents submitted must be accompanied by a letter for the regulatory agency providing concurrence. The AEP Awards Jury evaluates these types of documents based on the basis of the following criteria:

Clarity of Organization and Writing – Logical and comprehensive; readable by the public, decision-makers, and professionals alike; concise, direct, and to the point;

Completeness – Adequate, reliable, and thorough presentation of documentation and regulations;

Public Outreach – Efforts made to engage public in the creation of the document;

Environmental Design – Design elements were included to avoid environmental impacts or enhance the environment; and

Ease of Use – Electronic document that is easy to navigate and accessible to the public.

The nomination form for this category can be found HERE.

Outstanding Technical Report:

This award is given to an agency and/or firm that published an outstanding technical report, or utilized a unique technical approach in 2022 or 2023. The primary authors of the document must be based in San Diego or Imperial counties; however, the subject area of the report/survey may include San Diego, Imperial, Orange, or Riverside counties. Submitted reports may focus on the following issues, but are not limited to, Agriculture, Air Quality, Biology, Climate Change/Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Cultural Resources, Geology, Drainage and Hydrology, Hazardous Materials (PEA or Phase I), Noise, Storm Water, Traffic, and Visual Impact Analysis. Reports must be in a Final version to be considered for this award. A letter from the approving agency providing concurrence for the category nomination is required as part of the submission. The AEP Awards Jury evaluates these types of documents on the basis of the following criteria:

Clarity of Organization and Writing – Logical and comprehensive; readable by the public, decision-makers, and professionals alike; concise, direct, and to the point.

Technical Difficulty – Analysis of complex issues and the ability to synthesize the information into the report or survey;

Originality – Unique approach to analysis and data presentation and/or unique solution;

Regulatory Adequacy – Comprehensive identification of and response to applicable regulations; and

Ease of Use – Electronic document that is easy to navigate and accessible to the public.

The nomination form for this category can be found HERE.

Outstanding Public Involvement Award:

This award is given to an agency and/or firm that displayed outstanding achievement in community outreach and engagement over the past three years (2019-2023) in San Diego or Imperial counties. This award recognizes the firm or agency that effectively engaged the public in the environmental planning process and created a greater awareness of the role of the public in the process. A letter from the approving agency providing concurrence for the category nomination is required as part of the submission. Emphasis is placed on the success of the outreach and the level of public participation during the process.

Effectiveness in engaging the public in the environmental planning process – was there a high level of public participation during the process?
Inclusiveness of public participation – was there a practice of providing equal access to opportunities and resources to participate for people who might otherwise be excluded or marginalized, such as those that have physical or mental disabilities or belonging to other minority groups?
Success of the outreach – was a greater awareness created among members of the public regarding the project, project components and environmental planning process?
Success of diversity inclusion practices – was there greater participation among members of the public who might otherwise be excluded or marginalized, regarding the project, project components and environmental planning process?

The nomination form for this category can be found HERE.

Outstanding CEQA Streamlining:

This award is given to an agency and/or firm that utilized a unique technical approach in 2022 or 2023 to streamline a project. The primary authors of the document must be based in San Diego County or Imperial counties; however, the subject area of the report/survey may include San Diego, Imperial, Orange, or Riverside counties. Submitted reports may focus on the following streamlining provisions, but are not limited to, Exemptions, Ministerial Exemptions, Program EIR Tiering, Specific Plan Tiering, and Addendums. The project must be approved with streamlined review to be considered for this award. The AEP Awards Jury evaluates these types of documents on the basis of the following criteria:

Clarity of Organization and Writing – Logical and comprehensive; readable by the public, decision-makers, and professionals alike; concise, direct, and to the point

Technical Difficulty – Analysis of complex issues and the ability to synthesize the information into the report or survey

Originality – Unique approach to analysis and data presentation and/or unique solution

Regulatory Adequacy – Comprehensive identification of and response to applicable regulations

Ease of Use – Electronic document that is easy to navigate and accessible to the public

The nomination form for this category can be found HERE.

Outstanding Innovation in Resilient or Sustainable Planning and Design:

This award is given to an agency and/or firm that published an outstanding document related to multidisciplinary innovation in green planning and design in 2022 or 2023. Appropriate documents for consideration in this award category may include, but are not limited to: Climate Action Plans, Sustainability Plans, Resiliency Plans, alternative energy programs, Resource Management Plans, environmentally-related Implementation Plans, Significance Thresholds Guidelines, and other non-impact analysis/assessment studies and reports. The primary authors of the document must be based in San Diego or Imperial counties; however, the subject area of the document may include San Diego, Imperial, Orange or Riverside counties. This award is for documents that have made an effort to create and implement sustainable planning and to improve the natural environment through green planning and design. This category does not include CEQA/NEPA documents or technical reports. A letter from the approving agency providing concurrence for the category nomination is required as part of the submission. The AEP Awards Jury evaluates these types of documents on the basis of the following criteria:

Creativity and Innovation – Originality of methodology, format, or approach to an issue;

Clarity – "User friendly" presentation of methodology and technical information, with direct and concise language appropriate for the audience;

Implementation – Useful and applicable methodology and components for effective implementation;

Integration – Comprehensive identification of and response to applicable regulations, zoning, plans, and other related policies; and

Ease of Use – Electronic document that is easy to navigate and accessible to the public.

The nomination form for this category can be found HERE.

Environmental Photography Contest:

Continuing our tradition in photographic excellence, the Awards Banquet will again include an environmental photography contest. Photos must have been taken in 2022 or 2023. Submit photos by the submission deadline, and they will be displayed anonymously during the cocktail hour at the Awards Banquet, where banquet attendees will vote on the photography. With the photographer's permission, reprints of the photographs will eb available for purchase via silent auction to support the scholarship program. The winner's photograph will be featured in the next SDAEP Newsletter and on the SDAEP Website, highlighting the photographer and his/her employer. For the environmental photography contest, firms can submit multiple photographs as long as no two photograph submissions are from the same individual.