California Environmental Quality Act: responsible agency.

Senators Limón and Blakespear propose expanding the California Environmental Quality Act's (CEQA) definition of "responsible agency" to include public agencies that permit projects, adding to their existing role in project approvals. The change would formally recognize permitting agencies' involvement in the CEQA environmental review process alongside lead agencies that oversee project implementation.

The amendment requires permitting agencies to participate in reviewing environmental impact reports, negative declarations, and mitigated negative declarations for projects under their jurisdiction. While the bill creates new obligations for local agencies in their expanded role as responsible agencies, it specifies that local governments can utilize existing fee and assessment authority to cover associated costs rather than receiving state reimbursement.

This modification to CEQA's regulatory framework affects the relationships between lead agencies, permitting bodies, and project applicants during environmental reviews. Local agencies must adapt their procedures and resource allocation to fulfill these additional responsibilities through their established funding mechanisms.