BILL ANALYSIS Ó AB 209 Page 1 Date of Hearing: April 25, 2011 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES Wesley Chesbro, Chair AB 209 (Ammiano) - As Amended: March 31, 2011 SUBJECT : Environment: CEQA: lead agency: documents SUMMARY : Requires a lead agency that is preparing an environmental impact report (EIR) or negative declaration (ND) to include in the public notice regarding the preparation of the document a description of how the draft EIR or ND can be provided in an electronic format. EXISTING LAW : 1)Requires state and local agencies, pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), to identify the significant environmental impacts of discretionary projects and to avoid or mitigate those impacts, if feasible. 2)Requires a lead agency carrying out or approving a proposed discretionary project to prepare an environmental document, such as an EIR or ND. 3)Requires a lead state agency that is preparing an EIR or ND to provide public notice of that fact within a reasonable period of time prior to certification of the EIR or ND. Requires the notice to specify information regarding the draft EIR or ND, including the address where copies of the draft EIR or ND are available for review. THIS BILL : Requires that the lead agency's public notice regarding the preparation of the EIR or ND include a description of how the draft EIR or ND can be provided in an electronic format. FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown COMMENTS : Many of CEQA's requirements were enacted long before computer and internet use became common. The state has gradually incorporated the use of electronic information in the CEQA process. For example, since April 2003, the State Clearinghouse within the Governor's Office of Planning and Research, which coordinates the state-level review of AB 209 Page 2 environmental documents pursuant to CEQA, has distributed EIRs in CD-ROM format for state agency review and comment. Based on positive survey results and the cost savings to local and state agencies-CD-ROMs eliminate much of the printing and distribution costs associated with EIRs-the State Clearinghouse now offers most other environmental documents in electronic format. The bill would require a lead agency to provide the public with a description of how to obtain a draft EIR or ND in electronic format. According to the author, this requirement would reduce the use of paper since EIRs can be upward of several thousand pages. The author and the committee may wish to consider an amendment that also requires the lead agency to include in the notice an internet address to the EIR or ND if the document is available on the internet. REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION : Support Association of California Water Agencies Opposition None on file Analysis Prepared by : Mario DeBernardo / NAT. RES. / (916) 319-2092