The existing 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 it 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.
This bill would exempt from the requirements of CEQA any repowering project, as defined, if the project will result in a higher wattage facility that emits fewer air, water, and thermal contaminants and the project has previously completed the environmental review process required by CEQA.