The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) is a state law that requires disclosure of environmental impacts of certain proposed discretionary projects. The accompanying State CEQA Guidelines explain how to navigate the CEQA process. Appendix G is a part of the State CEQA Guidelines, which contains the different impact categories for analysis, including biological resources, noise, and transportation, among others.

In order to address upcoming changes to CEQA that the State is rolling out in 2019, including the addition of two impact categories and the update of the transportation impact category, the Department is proposing the adoption of the state CEQA Guidelines Appendix G as its own. While the Department currently uses Appendix G in practice, this would formalize the process. This update and alignment will ensure that the Department stays updated with state regulations and provide an easier way to understand the process with clear expectations of disclosure and environmental protections.