Mary Bean

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Mary is FCS's Environmental Services Senior Vice President and has more than 24 years of experience managing the preparation of CEQA and NEPA documents in both the public and private sectors.
 
She is knowledgeable about a broad range of environmental topics, backed by her experience in the field, research, technical writing, and planning. She specializes in leading interdisciplinary teams in the preparation of technical studies that support environmental clearance at the local, State, and national levels. Her depth of experience allows her to be particularly effective in strategizing with clients about the most efficient approach to environmental review. In her 7 years with FCS, Mary has successfully led FCS’s services on more than 450 projects.

Recent Posts

Initiating a Preliminary Environmental Study for NEPA

The National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) requires agencies to consider the environmental impacts of any proposed action or project before a decision is made. Projects involving federal aid or permitting typically fall under the NEPA regulatory umbrella, including infrastructure development and resource management initiatives.

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Frequently Used CEQA Streamlining Provisions

The path toward CEQA compliance can appear overgrown with pending legislation, delayed schedules, and other challenges. The development of CEQA streamlining provisions provide a more  tactical path toward project approval. While options vary with specific development considerations, several provisional approaches have been used with growing frequency.

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NEPA Expertise with Accessing Federal Funds

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires federal agencies to assess the environmental effects of proposed projects prior to making decisions. Federal or state funding may be available to move forward with public projects that raise environmental concerns – and a team of experts can help identify your options.

 

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Importance of Expertise in NEPA Federal Permitting

When the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) was passed in 1970, it was the first major environmental law enacted in the United States. Since that time, NEPA has ensured that agencies consider and disclose the environmental effects of a proposed project.

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How To Prepare A CEQA Streamlining Checklist

CEQA exists to promote informed decisions regarding development projects with a potential to result in environmental impacts. Streamlining provisions allow for a shortened review process, but determining your project’s eligibility for streamlining requires foresight and planning. Devising a checklist is a helpful tool for checking all the necessary boxes.

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How PFAS Developments May Affect CEQA Regulations

The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) is crucial in assessing and mitigating environmental risks resulting from discretionary projects. How PFAS will impact the CEQA landscape depends on a variety of shifting factors.

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2023: The Year in Review

FirstCarbon Solutions (FCS) is proud of the work we’ve accomplished over the past 37 years, and 2023 proved an excellent addition to those achievements. Join us as we review our 2023 accomplishments.

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Benefits of CEQA Streamlining

The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) exists to ensure that government decision-makers consider potential environmental impacts before approving public or private projects. CEQA aspires to facilitate public review from an environmental perspective and allow input from public decisionmakers, but it oftentimes results in protracted schedules for review and approval. Several CEQA streamlining provisions are being used more frequently and offer a variety of benefits for developers, stakeholders, and the public.

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Opportunities for CEQA Streamlining

The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires both public and private projects to undergo an environmental analysis. 

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2022: The Year in Review

Across the globe, the past year was one of expansion and reopening. FirstCarbon Solutions (FCS) was no exception, diving headfirst into new partnerships, new leadership, and new challenges worth tackling. Join us as we reflect on our progress in 2022, as well as the bright future ahead.

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6 Steps to Becoming a Sustainable City

In this growing climate crisis, cities will play a critical role in testing, implementing, and sharing solutions that can be replicated around the globe. Evolving regulations will require transparency to achieve funding and compliance with local regulations. At the same time, public perception will play its own governing role in holding cities and municipalities accountable for meeting their sustainability goals. 

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4 Ways Sister Cities are Connecting Global Communities

Chances are, you have seen signs around your city declaring a relationship with a ‘Sister City’ on the other side of the globe. It sounds important, but what is a Sister City, and how do these relationships work in practice?

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Webinar Recap: City Resiliency and Why it Matters

In the recent webinar, City Resiliency and Why it Matters, FCS International's own Mary Bean joined a conversation with SCI and GCEOA to discuss cities, resiliency, and the UN SDGs. 

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Webinar Recap: Bringing Together ESG and Municipal Financing

In this webinar, we present ESG in the context of private investing for local governments, what ESG factors and risks are used by bond raters, and climate resiliency during the current pandemic. 

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Five Best Practices for Preparing and Releasing EIRs During COVID-19 Restrictions

The outbreak of COVID-19 has driven businesses, government agencies, and other organizations to rapidly develop plans to ensure the health and safety of workers while mitigating financial risk and continuing to conduct essential operations.

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How we can help

In an ever-changing regulatory and sustainability environment, FCS understands the challenges you face. Our highly qualified environmental specialists, energy management consultants, and technical experts deliver integrated, industry-specific solutions that move your project forward—so that you can focus on what matters.