Amended in Senate May 28, 2013

Amended in Senate May 6, 2013

Amended in Senate April 3, 2013

Senate Bill No. 811

Introduced by Senator Lara

February 22, 2013

An act to add Section 103.1 to the Streets and Highways Code, relating to transportation.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SB 811, as amended, Lara. State Highway Route 710.

Existing law provides that the Department of Transportation has full possession and control of the state highway system. Existing law imposes various requirements for the development and implementation of transportation projects.

This bill would impose various additional requirements on the department, or on another agency, if that agency agrees to assume responsibility as the lead agency with respect to the I-710 expansion project in the County of Los Angeles from State Highway Route 60 in East Los Angeles to Ocean Boulevard in Long Beach. The bill would require the lead agency, in consultation with all interested community organizations, to consider, within the environmental review process for the project, alternatives to address the air quality, public health, and mobility impacts the project will have on neighboring communities. The bill would require the final environmental document approved by the lead agency to include an investment in identified mitigation measures for the affected communities begin delete of not less than 10 percent of the total project costs. end delete begin insert and the Los Angeles River end insert begin insert . end insert The bill would require the lead agency to submit a report in that regard to the Legislature at least 90 days prior to approving the final environmental document for the project. The bill would make legislative findings and declarations.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.  

Section 103.1 is added to the Streets and
Highways Code, to read:

103.1.  

(a) As used in this section, the following terms have
the following meanings:

(1) “I-710 expansion project” means the proposed program of
improvements to the State Highway Route 710 Corridor in the
County of Los Angeles within the State Highway Route 710
Corridor project study area, which extends from State Highway
Route 60 in East Los Angeles to Ocean Boulevard in Long Beach.
The I-710 expansion project does not include any extension of
State Highway Route 710 through South Pasadena from State
Highway Route 10 to State Highway Route 210.

(2) “Lead agency” means the department, unless another agency
agrees to assume responsibility as the lead agency for the I-710
expansion project under the California Environmental Quality Act
(Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public
Resources Code), in which case “lead agency” means that other
agency.

(3) “Los Angeles River” or “river” means the Los Angeles River
within the State Highway Route 710 Corridor project study area,
including the adjacent tributaries of Compton Creek and Rio
Hondo.

(b) The Legislature finds and declares that the proposed I-710
expansion project is a project of national significance that is
intended to expand capacity on State Highway Route 710 in the
County of Los Angeles to accommodate the movement of freight
from and to the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, thereby
providing economic benefits in the region and beyond. However,
the I-710 expansion project, as proposed, will have adverse public
health, air quality, and quality-of-life impacts on residents residing
near the corridor from East Los Angeles to Long Beach.

(c) The lead agency, in consultation with all interested
community organizations, shall consider, within the environmental
review process, alternatives to address the air quality, public health,
and mobility impacts the I-710 expansion project will have on
neighboring communities.

(d) The final environmental document approved by the lead
agency for the I-710 expansion project shall include an investment
in identified mitigation measures for the affected communities begin delete ,
including end delete begin insert and end insert the Los Angeles begin delete River, of not less than 10 percent
of the total project costs end delete begin insert River end insert .

(e) At least 90 days prior to approving the final environmental
document for the I-710 expansion project, the lead agency shall
submit a report to the Legislature describing the identified
mitigation measures that will be included in the project and
providing evidence of meeting the requirements of this section.
The report shall be submitted pursuant to Section 9795 of the
Government Code.