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AB-1491 California Environmental Quality Act: master environmental impact report.(2023-2024)

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Date Published: 02/17/2023 09:00 PM
AB1491:v99#DOCUMENT


CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 1491

Introduced by Assembly Member Grayson

February 17, 2023

An act to amend Section 21157 of the Public Resources Code, relating to environmental quality.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 1491, as introduced, Grayson. California Environmental Quality Act: master environmental impact report.
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 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. 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.
CEQA authorizes a lead agency to prepare a master environmental impact report that contains specified information for specified projects.
This bill would make nonsubstantive changes to the above provision.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: NO   Local Program: NO  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 Section 21157 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:

21157.
 (a) A master environmental impact report may be prepared for any one of the following projects:
(1) A general plan, element, general plan amendment, or specific plan.
(2) A project that consists of smaller individual projects that will be carried out in phases.
(3) A rule or regulation that will be implemented by subsequent projects.
(4) A project that will be carried out or approved pursuant to a development agreement.
(5) A public or private project that will be carried out or approved pursuant to, or in furtherance of, a redevelopment plan.
(6) A state highway project or mass transit project that will be subject to multiple stages of review or approval.
(7) A regional transportation plan or congestion management plan.
(8) A plan proposed by a local agency for the reuse of a federal military base or reservation that has been closed or that is proposed for closure.
(9) Regulations adopted by the Fish and Game Commission for the regulation of hunting and fishing.
(10) A plan for district projects to be undertaken by a school district, that also complies with applicable school facilities requirements, including, but not limited to, the requirements of Chapter 12.5 (commencing with Section 17070.10) of Part 10 of, and Article 1 (commencing with Section 17210) of Chapter 1 of Part 10.5 of, Division 1 of Title 1 of the Education Code.
(b) When a lead agency prepares a master environmental impact report, the document shall include all of the following:
(1) A detailed statement as required by Section 21100.
(2) A description of anticipated subsequent projects that would be within the scope of the master environmental impact report, that contains sufficient information with regard to regarding the kind, size, intensity, and location of the subsequent projects, including, but not limited to, all of the following:
(A) The specific type of project anticipated to be undertaken.
(B) The maximum and minimum intensity of any anticipated subsequent project, such as the number of residences in a residential development, and, with regard to regarding a public works facility, its anticipated capacity and service area.
(C) The anticipated location and alternative locations for any development projects.
(D) A capital outlay or capital improvement program, or other scheduling or implementing device that governs the submission and approval of subsequent projects.
(3) A description of potential impacts of anticipated subsequent projects for which there is not sufficient information reasonably available to support a full assessment of potential impacts in the master environmental impact report. This description shall not be construed as a limitation on the impacts which that may be considered in a focused environmental impact report.
(c) Lead agencies may develop and implement a fee program in accordance with applicable provisions of law to generate the revenue necessary to prepare a master environmental impact report.