California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)

The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) generally requires state and local government agencies, including the Commission, to inform decision makers and the public about the potentially significant environmental effects of a proposed project, ways to minimize those environmental effects, and to indicate alternatives to the project. If a project subject to CEQA will not result in potentially significant adverse effects to the environment, the Commission may adopt a document known as a Negative Declaration or a Mitigated Negative Declaration. If the project may cause adverse environmental effects, the Commission will prepare a more detailed informational document called an Environmental Impact Report (EIR). An EIR contains detailed information on potential effects, measures to mitigate those effects, and an analysis of alternatives to the project. A key feature of the CEQA review process is the opportunity for the public to provide input on Negative Declarations, Mitigated Negative Declarations, and EIRs.