The SDAEP Awards Committee is excited to announce the 2026 Awards and Scholarship Banquet will be held in person on Wednesday, October 21st 2026 from 5-9pm. This year’s banquet will be held at The Thursday Club located at 1224 Santa Barbara St, San Diego, CA 92107
Individuals, firms, or agencies can submit nominations for themselves or for others for projects located in San Diego or Imperial counties. Individuals and firms are limited to one nomination per category. Self-nominations in the Outstanding Contribution to the Environmental Profession category will not be accepted. 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 by the San Diego Chapter Board. All winners will be kept confidential until announced at the event. Finalists that are not selected as the winner may 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.
Submit nominations to: Melanie Tylke, Awards Coordinator at melanie.tylke@sdcounty.ca.gov.
Please direct any questions, concerns, or other inquiries regarding this process to the Awards Coordinator.
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. A letter of nomination explaining the individual's contribution to both the environmental field and AEP shall be submitted for consideration of this award. 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 2025 or 2026 including Environmental Impact Reports (EIRs), Environmental Impact Statements (EISs), and joint CEQA/NEPA documents involving an EIR and/or EIS. Supplemental, Subsequent, Addendum, and Program versions of such documents may be considered appropriate for this award category. Projects shall be located within San Diego or Imperial counties. Draft or Final documents will be accepted, as long as they have completed public review.
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 2025 or 2026 including Negative Declarations (NDs), Mitigated Negative Declarations (MNDs), Environmental Assessments (EAs), and joint CEQA/NEPA documents involving an ND, MND and/or EA. Supplemental, Subsequent, Addendum, and Program versions of such documents may be considered appropriate for this award category. Projects shall be located within San Diego or Imperial counties. Draft or Final documents will be accepted, as long as they have completed public review.
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 2025 or 2026. Sample documents include but are not limited to General Plans, Development Plans, Resource Management Plans, Ordinances, Policies, etc. Projects shall be located within
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 2025 or 2026. 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/II), Noise, Storm Water, Historical Resources Reports, Vehicle Miles Traveled Assessments, Visual Impact Analysis, Wildfire, etc. Reports must be in a “Final” version to be considered for this award. Projects shall be located within San Diego or Imperial counties.
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 (2023-2026). This award recognizes the firm or agency that effectively engaged the public in the environmental planning process and created a greater awareness among the public. Emphasis will be placed on the success of the outreach and the level of public participation during the process. The AEP Awards Jury will evaluate the nominations on the basis of the following criteria:
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 2025 or 2026 to streamline a project’s CEQA compliance. 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. Projects shall be located within San Diego or Imperial counties.
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 innovation in sustainable planning and design in 2025 or 2026. Appropriate documents for consideration in this award category may include, but are not limited to: Climate Action Plans, Climate Adaptation Plans, Sustainability Plans, alternative energy programs, Resource Management Plans, environmentally-related Implementation Plans, Significance Thresholds Guidelines, and other non-impact analysis/assessment studies and reports. 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. Projects shall be located within San Diego or Imperial counties.
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 2025 or 2026. 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. The winner’s photograph will be featured in the next SDAEP Newsletter and on the SDAEP website, highlighting the photographer and their employer. For the environmental photography contest, firms can submit multiple photographs as long as no two photograph submissions are from the same individual. Submissions shall be from current AEP members.
Photos shall be submitted to Sophia Taylor staylor3131@sdsu.edu and Melissa Whittemore Whittemore, Melissa melissa.whittemore@mbakerintl.
AEP Student Scholarships ($2,000 each)
Katelyn Chen
Valeria Landeros
Vivian Mosqueda
Diversity in the Environmental Profession Scholarship ($1,000 each)
Jasper Gough
Miles Marsh
Sophia Mitchell & Associates
Kittleson and Associates
Outstanding Environmental Analysis Document: ND, MND, or EA
County of San Diego, Department of Public Works, Environmental Services Unit for the Riverford Road Roundabouts Project
Outstanding Environmental Analysis Document: EIS/EIR
City of Chula Vista, City of San Diego, and RECON Environmental for the Nakano Project EIR
Outstanding Technical Report
County of San Diego and Michael Baker International for the Noise Impact Best Practices and Zoning Ordinance Recommendations
Outstanding Public Involvement
Port Master Plan Update and the Pepper Park Improvement Plan Project - Port of San Diego
Outstanding Innovation in Resilient or Sustainable Planning and Design
City of San Diego and Harris & Associates for the City of San Diego’s Coastal Resilience Master Plan
Outstanding Planning Document - Plan, Policy, or Ordinance
County of San Diego, Planning and Development Services for the Fallbrook Sub-Area Plan
Outstanding CEQA Streamlining
University of California, San Diego, and HELIX Environmental Planning for the University of California, San Diego’s Update to the La Jolla Campus 2018 Long Range Development Plan SEIR
Outstanding Contribution to the Environmental Profession
Donna Beddow
