The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires a lead agency, as defined, to prepare, or cause to be prepared, and certify the completion of an environmental impact report on a project that the lead agency proposes to carry out or approve that may have a significant effect on the environment or to adopt a negative declaration if it finds that the project will not have that effect. CEQA also requires a lead agency to prepare a mitigated negative declaration for a project that may have a significant effect on the environment if revisions in the project would avoid or mitigate that effect and there is no substantial evidence that the project, as revised, would have a significant effect on the environment.
Existing law, the Jobs and Economic Improvement Through Environmental Leadership Act of 2021, authorizes the Governor, until January 1, 2024, to certify projects that meet specified requirements for streamlining benefits related to CEQA.
This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact subsequent legislation to adopt permit streamlining guidance for projects that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Full bill text and related info.
Bill Author: Anthony Portantino: 