ARTICLE 2. Master Environmental Impact Report [21157. - 21157.7.]

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC 2.

in effect

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 21157. Section 21157.

(a) A master environmental impact report may be prepared for any one of the following projects: (1) A general plan, element, general plan amendment, or specific plan. (2) A project that consists of smaller individual projects that will be carried out in phases. (3) A rule or regulation that will be implemented by subsequent projects. (4) A project that will be carried out or approved pursuant to a development agreement. (5) A public or private project that will be carried out or approved pursuant to, or in furtherance of, a redevelopment plan. (6) A state highway project or mass transit project that will be subject to multiple stages of review or approval. (7) A regional transportation plan or congestion management plan. (8) A plan proposed by a local agency for the reuse of a federal military base or reservation that has been closed or that is proposed for closure. (9) Regulations adopted by the Fish and Game Commission for the regulation of hunting and fishing. (10) A plan for district projects to be undertaken by a school district, that also complies with applicable school facilities requirements, including, but not limited to, the requirements of Chapter 12.5 (commencing with Section 17070.10) of Part 10 of, and Article 1 (commencing with Section 17210) of Chapter 1 of Part 10.5 of, Division 1 of Title 1 of the Education Code. (b) When a lead agency prepares a master environmental impact report, the document shall include all of the following: (1) A detailed statement as required by Section 21100. (2) A description of anticipated subsequent projects that would be within the scope of the master environmental impact report, that contains sufficient information with regard to the kind, size, intensity, and location of the subsequent projects, including, but not limited to, all of the following: (A) The specific type of project anticipated to be undertaken. (B) The maximum and minimum intensity of any anticipated subsequent project, such as the number of residences in a residential development, and, with regard to a public works facility, its anticipated capacity and service area. (C) The anticipated location and alternative locations for any development projects. (D) A capital outlay or capital improvement program, or other scheduling or implementing device that governs the submission and approval of subsequent projects. (3) A description of potential impacts of anticipated subsequent projects for which there is not sufficient information reasonably available to support a full assessment of potential impacts in the master environmental impact report. This description shall not be construed as a limitation on the impacts which may be considered in a focused environmental impact report. (c) Lead agencies may develop and implement a fee program in accordance with applicable provisions of law to generate the revenue necessary to prepare a master environmental impact report.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 21157.1. Section 21157.1.

The preparation and certification of a master environmental impact report, if prepared and certified consistent with this division, may allow for the limited review of subsequent projects that were described in the master environmental impact report as being within the scope of the report, in accordance with the following requirements: (a) The lead agency for a subsequent project shall be the lead agency or any responsible agency identified in the master environmental impact report. (b) The lead agency shall prepare an initial study on any proposed subsequent project. This initial study shall analyze whether the subsequent project may cause any significant effect on the environment that was not examined in the master environmental impact report and whether the subsequent project was described in the master environmental impact report as being within the scope of the report. (c) If the lead agency, based on the initial study, determines that a proposed subsequent project will have no additional significant effect on the environment, as defined in subdivision (d) of Section 21158, that was not identified in the master environmental impact report and that no new or additional mitigation measures or alternatives may be required, the lead agency shall make a written finding based upon the information contained in the initial study that the subsequent project is within the scope of the project covered by the master environmental impact report. No new environmental document nor findings pursuant to Section 21081 shall be required by this division. Prior to approving or carrying out the proposed subsequent project, the lead agency shall provide notice of this fact pursuant to Section 21092 and incorporate all feasible mitigation measures or feasible alternatives set forth in the master environmental impact report which are appropriate to the project. Whenever a lead agency approves or determines to carry out any subsequent project pursuant to this section, it shall file a notice pursuant to Section 21108 or 21152. (d) Where a lead agency cannot make the findings required in subdivision (c), the lead agency shall prepare, pursuant to Section 21157.7, either a mitigated negative declaration or environmental impact report.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 21157.5. Section 21157.5.

(a) A proposed mitigated negative declaration shall be prepared for any proposed subsequent project if both of the following occur: (1) An initial study has identified potentially new or additional significant effects on the environment that were not analyzed in the master environmental impact report. (2) Feasible mitigation measures or alternatives will be incorporated to revise the proposed subsequent project, before the negative declaration is released for public review, in order to avoid the effects or mitigate the effects to a point where clearly no significant effect on the environment will occur. (b) If there is substantial evidence in light of the whole record before the lead agency that the proposed subsequent project may have a significant effect on the environment and a mitigated negative declaration is not prepared, the lead agency shall prepare an environmental impact report or a focused environmental impact report pursuant to Section 21158.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 21157.6. Section 21157.6.

(a) The master environmental impact report shall not be used for the purposes of this chapter if either of the following has occurred: (1) The certification of the master environmental impact report occurred more than five years prior to the filing of an application for the subsequent project. (2) The filing of an application for the subsequent project occurs following the certification of the master environmental impact report, and the approval of a project that was not described in the master environmental impact report, may affect the adequacy of the environmental review in the master environmental impact report for any subsequent project. (b) A master environmental impact report that was certified more than five years prior to the filing of an application for the subsequent project may be used for purposes of this chapter to review a subsequent project that was described in the master environmental impact report if the lead agency reviews the adequacy of the master environmental impact report and does either of the following: (1) Finds that no substantial changes have occurred with respect to the circumstances under which the master environmental impact report was certified or that no new information, which was not known and could not have been known at the time that the master environmental impact report was certified as complete, has become available. (2) Prepares an initial study and, pursuant to the findings of the initial study, does either of the following: (A) Certifies a subsequent or supplemental environmental impact report that has been either incorporated into the previously certified master environmental impact report or references any deletions, additions, or any other modifications to the previously certified master environmental impact report. (B) Approves a mitigated negative declaration that addresses substantial changes that have occurred with respect to the circumstances under which the master environmental impact report was certified or the new information that was not known and could not have been known at the time the master environmental impact report was certified.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 21157.7. Section 21157.7.

(a) For purposes of this section, a master environmental impact report is a document prepared in accordance with subdivision (c) for the projects described in subdivision (b) that, upon certification, is followed by review of subsequent projects as provided in Sections 21157.1 and 21157.5. (b) A master environmental impact report may be prepared for a plan adopted by the Department of Transportation for improvements to regional segments of Highway 99 funded pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 8879.23 of the Government Code, to streamline, coordinate, and improve environmental review. (c) The report shall include all of the following: (1) A detailed statement as required by Section 21100. (2) A description of the anticipated highway improvements along Highway 99 that would be within the scope of the master environmental impact report, that contains sufficient information about all phases of the Highway 99 construction activities, including, but not limited to, all of the following: (A) The specific types of improvements that will be undertaken. (B) The anticipated location and alternative locations for any of the Highway 99 improvements, including overpasses, bridges, railroad crossings, and interchanges. (C) A capital outlay or capital improvement program, or other scheduling or implementing device that governs the construction activities associated with the Highway 99 improvements. (d) The Department of Transportation may communicate, coordinate, and consult with the Resources Agency, Wildlife Conservation Board, Department of Fish and Game, Department of Conservation, and other appropriate federal, state, or local governments, including interested stakeholders, to consider and implement mitigation requirements on a regional basis for the projects described in subdivision (b). This may include both of the following: (1) Identification of priority areas for mitigation, using information from these agencies and departments as well as from other sources. (2) Utilization of existing conservation programs of the agencies or departments identified in this subdivision, if mitigation under those programs for improvements under this section does not supplant mitigation for a project. (e) The Department of Transportation may execute an agreement, memorandum of understanding, or other similar instrument to memorialize its understanding of any communication, coordination, or implementation activities with other state agencies for the purposes of meeting mitigation requirements on a regional basis. (f) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, nothing in this section is intended to interfere with or prevent the existing authority of an agency or department to carry out its programs, projects, or responsibilities to identify, review, approve, deny, or implement any mitigation requirements, and nothing in this section shall be construed as a limitation on mitigation requirements for the project, or a limitation on compliance with requirements under this division or any other provision of law. (g) Notwithstanding Section 21157.6, the master environmental impact report shall not be used for the purposes of this section, if the certification of the master environmental impact report occurred more than seven years prior to the filing of an application for the subsequent project.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026