Eir

EIR is a widely used acronym that can refer to several terms across different fields. The most common in public policy and environmental planning is the Environmental Impact Report, often abbreviated as EIR. In California and other jurisdictions that follow the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), an EIR is a detailed document that assesses the potential environmental effects of a proposed project and explores reasonable alternatives.

An EIR typically includes a description of the project, baseline environmental conditions, and an analysis of potential impacts across areas such as air quality, noise, traffic, water resources, biology, and cultural resources. It presents proposed mitigation measures to avoid, minimize, or compensate for significant effects, discusses alternatives to the project, and outlines a plan for monitoring and reporting on mitigation compliance. The process usually follows steps such as scoping to identify significant issues, preparation and circulation of a draft EIR for public review, consideration of agency and public comments, and the preparation of a final EIR before a lead agency makes a decision. Courts can review the adequacy of an EIR, and substantial questions about its analysis can influence project approval or mitigation requirements. EIRs may also be prepared in a tiered fashion to support broader planning efforts and later, more detailed analyses.

Beyond environmental planning, EIR can stand for terms in other contexts, with meanings that depend on the field and region. Therefore, the intended meaning of EIR should be inferred from the surrounding documentation or source.