“Significant” under CEQA law means—well, whatever planners want it to mean. Just because Scott Vurbeff and Pat Murphy say the word
“significant,” don’t assume that they are using it as you are. They are using it to say, “this term is a code word that I can use to prove that my OPINION will be listened to above any scientific analysis or other professionally rendered scientific data because I am in the Planning Department! So if I use my big boy word with a wink wink, and a nudge nudge, I can get paid to attend meetings and say my grown up sounding words and I don’t have to understand things like math or science. On top of that, you will have to pay me my pension when I retire at 55!”

So when you hear a planner say ‘significant,’ or ‘recreational contamination,’ they are the ones who are choosing the meaning. Don’t assume that are using it in the same. widely acceptable or ethical manner that scientists like Mr. Sodomka do.