BILL ANALYSIS Ó SB 348 Page 1 Date of Hearing: July 8, 2015 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Jimmy Gomez, Chair SB 348 (Galgiani) - As Amended April 6, 2015 ----------------------------------------------------------------- |Policy |Natural Resources |Vote:|6 - 0 | |Committee: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------------+-------------------------------+-----+-------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------------+-------------------------------+-----+-------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: YesReimbursable: No SUMMARY: This bill extends the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) exemption for the closure of a railroad grade crossing found to present a threat to public safety and ordered by the SB 348 Page 2 Public Utilities Commission (PUC) from January 1, 2016 to January 1, 2019. Additionally, this bill requires a state or local agency claiming the exemption to file notice with the Office of Planning and Research (OPR). FISCAL EFFECT: Negligible state costs. COMMENT: 1)Rationale. The PUC has broad and exclusive power to regulate railroad crossings. In 2012, the PUC sponsored AB 1665 (Galgiani, Chapter 721), to establish the existing unsafe grade crossing closure CEQA exemption. To date, this exemption has not been applied. However, a pending railroad crossing project in Glendale may qualify for, and require, the exemption. This bill extends the limited exemption for three years to accommodate the Glendale project as well as other future projects to protect public safety. 2)Background. CEQA requires lead agencies with the principal responsibility for carrying out or approving a proposed project to prepare a negative declaration, mitigated negative declaration, or environmental impact report (EIR) for this action, unless the project is exempt from CEQA. CEQA includes various statutory exemptions, as well as additional categorical exemptions in the CEQA guidelines. Analysis Prepared by:Jennifer Galehouse / APPR. / (916) 319-2081 SB 348 Page 3