AB 2569: California Environmental Quality Act: natural hazards and adverse environmental conditions.

This bill aims to expand the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to include impacts on people. The CEQA requires a lead agency to prepare an environmental impact report (EIR) on a project that may have a significant effect on the environment. The bill would require the lead agency to consider significant effects resulting from locating the proposed project near or attracting people to existing or reasonably foreseeable natural hazards or adverse environmental conditions. The bill would impose a state-mandated local program, requiring the lead agency to undertake this additional consideration. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. However, this bill would provide that no reimbursement is required for the costs associated with implementing this new requirement.