Definitions for "California Environmental Quality Act"
Established policy of environmental protection, maintenance, and enhancement. Created the EPA and the Environmental Impact Statement process.
was enacted in 1970 in order to ensure that state and local agencies consider the environmental impact of their decisions when approving a public or private project.
The CEQA is California Public Resources Code Sections 21000 et seq. CEQA establishes a duty for public agencies to avoid or minimize environmental damage where feasible, recognizing that a public agency has an obligation to balance a variety of public objectives, including economic, environmental, and social factors. CEQA is intended to facilitate the disclosure of the significant environmental effects of proposed activities to decision-makers and the public, the identification of ways to avoid or reduce environmental damage, and the prevention of environmental damage by requiring the implementation of feasible alternatives or mitigation measures.