October 2024

Q&A with DJP&A Staff: John Hesler

What sets DJP&A apart, you ask? We think it’s our staff! Get to know us a little better with our new Q&A series, starting with Dave’s first professional hire, DJP&A Employee #2, John Hesler.

Q: What interested you most about this job when you applied?

A: I met David Powers in 1980 when I was completing my degree at San José  State University as part of the Fellowship Program at the Santa Clara County Transportation Agency. I was impressed with Dave’s integrity and his dedication to complying with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to objectively inform the public about the effects of proposed projects. I saw that the work was making a difference in the community by improving the quality of development. As a result, when Dave offered me the opportunity to work with him, I readily accepted and, this year, I celebrated my 42nd anniversary with the company.

Q: That is amazing – 42 years at the company! Congratulations! Given your illustrious career, what is one of the most memorable projects you have worked on and why?

A: There are two that stand out. The first is the 10-Year Measure A Program with the Santa Clara County Traffic Authority, under which State Route 85 was constructed, US 101 was widened, and State Route 237 was converted from an expressway to a freeway. By way of the CEQA process, the highway projects were modified to reduce and avoid environmental impacts, while at the same time providing substantial benefits to the community.

The second is the Master Plan processes for San José  Mineta International Airport (SJC). Although SJC has experienced substantial growth, through the environmental review process, measures to reduce the airport’s noise, transportation, air quality, and energy impacts have been extensive and innovative.

Q: Those are definitely notable projects. The 1997 SJC Master Plan EIR is often talked about around the office as the gold standard as it was tiered from for subsequent projects for 20 (!!) years. Hey, didn’t you win an award from the Association of Environmental Professionals (AEP) for another document you prepared for SJC?

A: Yes, that is right! I submitted a 7-page document that I prepared to support a Categorical Exemption under CEQA for the entrance signs at SJC. The document received a Merit Award in the Outstanding Environmental Analysis Document award category from AEP. I knew the submittal of this document was unusual, however, I believed the document’s organization, succinctness, and clarity of analysis is precisely why it is outstanding.

In fact, it is exactly the type of document the Legislature envisioned when they enacted CEQA in 1970 when they stated: “The Legislature further finds and declares that it is the policy of the state that…documents prepared pursuant to this division be organized and written in a manner that will be meaningful and useful to decision makers and to the public.”

Q: That is a great segue to our next question for you: if there was one thing you could change about CEQA what would it be and why?

A: Because of the fear of lawsuits, many CEQA documents have become far too long with important conclusions buried amidst hundreds of pages of background text that is often irrelevant. Decisionmakers and members of the public often struggle to understand and wade through multi-volume tomes, which is the antithesis of the objective of CEQA. I would raise the threshold under which a CEQA document can be challenged in court and would mandate that all losing parties (including individuals, businesses, and community groups) pay the costs and legal fees of the prevailing parties.

Q: Thanks for your insight, John. To wrap up our Q&A, can you tell us what you think makes DJP&A so special?

A: The culture that Dave Powers established - and which continues today - sets us apart. It is a straightforward culture: If we provide quality service to our clients and the community by preparing truthful and unbiased documents, and if we value our employees and treat them well, we will be successful. This philosophy has manifested in numerous awards for excellence received by DJP&A, is the reason why there have never been layoffs at the company and is why many employees have tenures that span multiple decades.