Northern California Natural History Museum

CEQA

In keeping with the CSU, Chico Master Plan and Environmental Impact Report (EIR), as well as in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Northern California Natural History Museum began its 30 day public comment period on Thursday, May 10, 2007 and ended Friday, June 8, 2007.

• Notice of Intent (pdf)
• Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (pdf)
• Final Mitigated Negative Declaration (pdf)
• Traffic Study Report (pdf)

Project Description

California State University, Chico is building a Northern California Natural History Museum on the CSU, Chico campus adjacent to the Bidwell Mansion State Historic Park. As proposed, the museum will be approximately 17,533 square feet (to be completed in two phases, with 9,628 square feet in phase I) and will be constructed to “Silver” or the equivalent level LEED building. The museum, a gateway to the CSU, Chico campus, will showcase the North State’s natural diversity and geologic history and will be a community center promoting science and mathematics education. The museum will serve the general public, university students, teachers and school children with exciting hands-on exhibits, dynamic traveling exhibits, and educational programs. It will allow University faculty and students unique opportunities to utilize both permanent and temporary exhibits in their course curriculum, with the museum providing a venue for traveling exhibits from around the world. The museum will allow the University to display the wealth of specimens that it currently has, many donated by generous benefactors and supporters of the institution, as well as to collect and display objects entrusted to the museum for future exhibition and research. The proposed project is consistent with the University’s adopted Campus Master Plan.

Additional Documents

• 1-29-08 Meeting Presentation (pdf)