California Environmental Quality Act: natural hazards and adverse environmental conditions.

Plain English Breakdown

The bill text does not specify how lead agencies will implement the new requirements or provide details on enforcement mechanisms.

Expanding Environmental Impact Reports to Include Natural Hazards and Adverse Conditions

The bill expands the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) by requiring lead agencies to consider impacts on people from natural hazards and adverse environmental conditions when preparing environmental impact reports.

What This Bill Does

• Expands definitions of 'environment' and 'significant effect on the environment' in CEQA to include impacts on people.
• Requires lead agencies to include a detailed statement about significant effects that may result from locating projects near or attracting people to existing or foreseeable natural hazards or adverse environmental conditions.

Who It Names or Affects

• Lead agencies responsible for preparing and certifying environmental impact reports under CEQA.
• People living near proposed projects that may be affected by natural hazards or adverse environmental conditions.

Terms To Know

Environmental Impact Report (EIR)

A document prepared to assess the potential environmental effects of a project and ways to mitigate those effects.

Lead agency

The government entity responsible for approving or carrying out a project under CEQA.

Limits and Unknowns

• Does not specify how lead agencies will implement the new requirements.
• Does not provide details on enforcement mechanisms for compliance with the expanded definitions and reporting requirements.

Official Summary Text

AB 2569, as introduced, Hart.
California Environmental Quality Act: natural hazards and adverse environmental conditions.
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 (EIR) 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 defines “environment” and “significant effect on the environment” for its purposes. CEQA requires the EIR to include a detailed statement
setting forth specified facts.
This bill would expand those definitions to include impacts on people, as specified. The bill would additionally require the lead agency to include in the EIR a detailed statement on any significant effects that may result from locating the proposed project near, or attracting people to, existing or reasonably foreseeable natural hazards or adverse environmental conditions. Because the lead agency would be required to undertake this additional consideration, 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