California Environmental Quality Act: exemption: groundwater recharge project.

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on how lead agencies should determine if a project qualifies for the exemption, leaving some uncertainty in that area.

California Environmental Quality Act: Groundwater Recharge Project Exemption

AB-2132 exempts groundwater recharge projects from CEQA requirements if the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency determines that these projects address subsidence in high- or medium-priority basins.

What This Bill Does

• Exempts certain groundwater recharge projects from CEQA requirements if they help reduce land sinking caused by overuse of groundwater, as determined by the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency.

Who It Names or Affects

• Groundwater recharge projects that aim to reduce land sinking in areas with high or medium priority groundwater basins.
• Local lead agencies responsible for determining if a project qualifies for the exemption under CEQA.

Terms To Know

California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)

A law that requires government agencies to consider and disclose potential environmental impacts of projects they propose or approve.

Subsidence

The sinking or settling of land caused by the removal of groundwater, oil, gas, or other underground resources.

Limits and Unknowns

• Does not specify how lead agencies should determine if a project qualifies for the exemption.
• Does not provide details on how to address subsidence beyond exempting projects from CEQA requirements.

Official Summary Text

AB 2132, as introduced, Macedo.
California Environmental Quality Act: exemption: groundwater recharge project.
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.
Existing law, the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, requires all groundwater basins designated as high- or medium-priority basins by the
Department of Water Resources to be managed under a groundwater sustainability plan or coordinated groundwater plans, except as specified. Existing law requires a groundwater sustainability plan to include various information relating to subsidence, as applicable.
This bill would exempt from the requirements of CEQA a groundwater recharge project if the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency determines the project would address subsidence. Because a lead agency would be required to determine whether a project qualifies for this exemption, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide
that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Current Bill Text

Download Bill PDF