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47 <br />3.0 IMPACTS AND MITIGATIONS <br />3.1 SIGNIFICANCE CRITERIA <br />General plans, area plans, and specific projects are subject to the provisions of the California <br />Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The purpose of CEQA is to assess the impacts of proposed <br />projects on the environment before they are constructed. For example, site development may <br />require the removal of some or all of its existing vegetation. Animals associated with this <br />vegetation could be destroyed or displaced. Animals adapted to humans, roads, buildings, pets, <br />etc. could potentially replace those species formerly occurring on a site. Plants and animals that <br />are state and/or federally listed as threatened or endangered may be destroyed or displaced. <br />Sensitive habitats such as wetlands and riparian woodlands may be altered or destroyed. These <br />impacts may be considered significant or not. According to Guide to the California <br />Environmental Quality Act, “Significant effect on the environment” is interpreted as a <br />substantial, or potentially substantial, adverse change in any of the physical conditions within the <br />area affected by the project including land, air, water, minerals, flora, fauna, ambient noise, and <br />objects of historic or aesthetic interest. Specific project impacts to biological resources may be <br />considered “significant” if they will: <br /> <br /> have a substantial adverse effect, the directly or through habitat modifications, on any species <br />identified as a candidate, sensitive, or special status species in local or regional plans, <br />policies, or regulations, or by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife or U.S. Fish <br />and Wildlife Service; <br /> have a substantial adverse effect on any riparian habitat or other sensitive natural community <br />identified in local or regional plans, policies, regulations or by the California Department of <br />Fish and Wildlife or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; <br /> have a substantial adverse effect on federally protected wetlands as defined by Section 404 of <br />the Clean Water Act (including, but not limited to, marsh, vernal pool, coastal, etc.) through <br />direct removal, filling, hydrological interruption, or other means;