BonTerra Consulting: News

Tom Smith Presented U.S. Environmental Policy Overview to Delegation of Chinese Officials

May 18, 2004

UCLA Extension has once again asked Thomas E. Smith, Jr., AICP, FSMPS, one of the founding Principals of BonTerra Consulting, to provide a policy overview of environmental policy and regulations affecting public and private development in the United States. The presentation was part of UCLA’s educational program in Public Policy that was provided to 18 officials from the Chongqing municipal government, hosted by UCLA Extension on May 26th. Tom also presented a one day session on environmental policies in the U.S. to another group of visiting Chinese officials in May 2003.

The Chinese delegation asked UCLA Extension officials to provide intensive education/training on a broad range of Public Policy topics to better understand development and environmental regulations in the U.S., and to also assist in formulating environmental policy and regulations in China. Chongqing is a growing municipality with a population of over 14 million, and is currently undergoing massive public works and infrastructure development.

Tom Smith’s presentation covered the U.S. environmental movement since the 1960’s and the power of advocacy groups; major environmental laws and responsibilities among the local, regional, state and federal governments; and the influence of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Federal Clean Air Act, Federal Clean Water Act, Federal Endangered Species Act and California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and California Endangered Species Act on public and private projects.

An Environmental Planning/Resource Management Corporation