CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20232024 REGULAR SESSION Assembly Bill No. 2937Introduced by Assembly Member WicksFebruary 15, 2024 An act to amend Section 21156 of the Public Resources Code, relating to environmental quality. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTAB 2937, as introduced, Wicks. California Environmental Quality Act: streamlined environmental reviews.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 establishes certain processes, such as the preparation of a master EIR or a focused EIR, to streamline the environmental review of projects. CEQA states the intentions of the Legislature in enacting those streamlined environmental review processes.This bill would make nonsubstantive changes to those statements of intent.Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: NO Local Program: NO Bill TextThe people of the State of California do enact as follows:SECTION 1. Section 21156 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:21156. It is the intent of the Legislature in (a) In enacting this chapter chapter, it is the intent of the Legislature that a master environmental impact report shall evaluate the cumulative impacts, growth inducing impacts, and irreversible significant effects on the environment of subsequent projects to the greatest extent feasible. The(b) The Legislature further intends that the environmental review of subsequent projects be substantially reduced to the extent that the project impacts have been reviewed and appropriate mitigation measures are set forth in a certified master environmental impact report.
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20232024 REGULAR SESSION Assembly Bill No. 2937Introduced by Assembly Member WicksFebruary 15, 2024 An act to amend Section 21156 of the Public Resources Code, relating to environmental quality. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTAB 2937, as introduced, Wicks. California Environmental Quality Act: streamlined environmental reviews.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 establishes certain processes, such as the preparation of a master EIR or a focused EIR, to streamline the environmental review of projects. CEQA states the intentions of the Legislature in enacting those streamlined environmental review processes.This bill would make nonsubstantive changes to those statements of intent.Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: NO Local Program: NO
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20232024 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Bill
No. 2937
Introduced by Assembly Member WicksFebruary 15, 2024
Introduced by Assembly Member Wicks
February 15, 2024
An act to amend Section 21156 of the Public Resources Code, relating to environmental quality.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
## LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 2937, as introduced, Wicks. California Environmental Quality Act: streamlined environmental reviews.
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 establishes certain processes, such as the preparation of a master EIR or a focused EIR, to streamline the environmental review of projects. CEQA states the intentions of the Legislature in enacting those streamlined environmental review processes.This bill would make nonsubstantive changes to those statements of intent.
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 establishes certain processes, such as the preparation of a master EIR or a focused EIR, to streamline the environmental review of projects. CEQA states the intentions of the Legislature in enacting those streamlined environmental review processes.
This bill would make nonsubstantive changes to those statements of intent.
## Digest Key
## Bill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:SECTION 1. Section 21156 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:21156. It is the intent of the Legislature in (a) In enacting this chapter chapter, it is the intent of the Legislature that a master environmental impact report shall evaluate the cumulative impacts, growth inducing impacts, and irreversible significant effects on the environment of subsequent projects to the greatest extent feasible. The(b) The Legislature further intends that the environmental review of subsequent projects be substantially reduced to the extent that the project impacts have been reviewed and appropriate mitigation measures are set forth in a certified master environmental impact report.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
## The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 21156 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:21156. It is the intent of the Legislature in (a) In enacting this chapter chapter, it is the intent of the Legislature that a master environmental impact report shall evaluate the cumulative impacts, growth inducing impacts, and irreversible significant effects on the environment of subsequent projects to the greatest extent feasible. The(b) The Legislature further intends that the environmental review of subsequent projects be substantially reduced to the extent that the project impacts have been reviewed and appropriate mitigation measures are set forth in a certified master environmental impact report.
SECTION 1. Section 21156 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:
### SECTION 1.
21156. It is the intent of the Legislature in (a) In enacting this chapter chapter, it is the intent of the Legislature that a master environmental impact report shall evaluate the cumulative impacts, growth inducing impacts, and irreversible significant effects on the environment of subsequent projects to the greatest extent feasible. The(b) The Legislature further intends that the environmental review of subsequent projects be substantially reduced to the extent that the project impacts have been reviewed and appropriate mitigation measures are set forth in a certified master environmental impact report.
21156. It is the intent of the Legislature in (a) In enacting this chapter chapter, it is the intent of the Legislature that a master environmental impact report shall evaluate the cumulative impacts, growth inducing impacts, and irreversible significant effects on the environment of subsequent projects to the greatest extent feasible. The(b) The Legislature further intends that the environmental review of subsequent projects be substantially reduced to the extent that the project impacts have been reviewed and appropriate mitigation measures are set forth in a certified master environmental impact report.
21156. It is the intent of the Legislature in (a) In enacting this chapter chapter, it is the intent of the Legislature that a master environmental impact report shall evaluate the cumulative impacts, growth inducing impacts, and irreversible significant effects on the environment of subsequent projects to the greatest extent feasible. The(b) The Legislature further intends that the environmental review of subsequent projects be substantially reduced to the extent that the project impacts have been reviewed and appropriate mitigation measures are set forth in a certified master environmental impact report.
21156. It is the intent of the Legislature in (a) In enacting this chapter chapter, it is the intent of the Legislature that a master environmental impact report shall evaluate the cumulative impacts, growth inducing impacts, and irreversible significant effects on the environment of subsequent projects to the greatest extent feasible. The
(b) The Legislature further intends that the environmental review of subsequent projects be substantially reduced to the extent that the project impacts have been reviewed and appropriate mitigation measures are set forth in a certified master environmental impact report.