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I. Introduction C. ORGANIZATION OF AND APPROACH TO THE EI CEQA PROCESS The California Environmental Quality Act(CEQA)requires all governmental bodies in California to consider environmental issues in their decision-making processes. This is accomplished through the preparation of a series of environmental documents,beginning with an Initial Study that identifies potentially significant environmental impacts,and then either a Negative Declaration if there is no potential for significant impact,or an Environmental Impact Report(EIR)if the potential for significant impacts exists. Because landfill expansions could have potentially significant effects on the environment,EIRs usually are required for them. An Initial Study for the project prepared by the Lead Agency,City of Stockton Department of Community Development Planning Division,on June 13, 1990,concluded that the project has the potential to have a significant effect on the environment and that an Environmental Impact Report(EIR)was required. A CEQA Notice of Preparation(NOP),which contained a project description,and the Initial Study,was sent by the City to the Responsible Agencies,and other interested parties. The purpose of the notice was to solicit guidance from those agencies as to the scope and content of the environmental information to be included in the EIR(Section 15375, CEQA Guidelines). The City's NOP and Initial Study and comments on the NOP are included as Appendix B. This document is a Draft EIR. Written comments may be submitted on the adequacy and accuracy of this Draft EIR during a 45-day public comment period. Following the close of the written public comment period,responses to written comments on the environmental effects of the project will be prepared and published in a supplement to this document. The Final EIR (comprised of this Draft EIR and the published supplement containing comments received on this Draft EIR and responses)will then be certified by the Planning Commission if it is determined to be in compliance with CEQA. Following certification of the EIR,the City will review and consider the information contained in the EIR prior to taking action to approve or deny the project. CEQA also requires that a Lead Agency establish a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program(MMRP) at the time of project approval to ensure the implementation of"changes to the project" that are "adopted or made a condition of project approval in order to mitigate or avoid significant effects on the environment." Accordingly,an MMRP will need to be prepared for the I.6