Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 38, September 20, 2024
(a) General. A public agency may prepare a master environmental assessment, inventory, or data base for all, or a portion of, the territory subject to its control in order to provide information which may be used or referenced in EIRs or negative declarations. Neither the content, the format, nor the procedures to be used to develop a master environmental assessment are prescribed by these guidelines. The descriptions contained in this section are advisory. A master environmental assessment is suggested solely as an approach to identify and organize environmental information for a region or area of the state.
(b) Contents. A master environmental assessment may contain an inventory of the physical and biological characteristics of the area for which it is prepared and may contain such additional data and information as the public agency determines is useful or necessary to describe environmental characteristics of the area. It may include identification of existing levels of quality and supply of air and water, capacities and levels of use of existing services and facilities, and generalized incremental effects of different categories of development projects by type, scale, and location.
(c) Preparation.
(1) A master environmental assessment or inventory may be prepared in many possible ways. For example, a master environmental assessment may be prepared as a special, comprehensive study of the area involved, as part of the EIR on a general plan, or as a data base accumulated by indexing EIRs prepared for individual projects or programs in the area involved.
(2) The information contained in a master environmental assessment should be reviewed periodically and revised as needed so that it is accurate and current.
(3) When advantageous to do so, master environmental assessments may be prepared through a joint exercise of powers agreement with neighboring local agencies or with the assistance of the appropriate Council of Governments.
(d) Uses.
(1) A master environmental assessment can identify the environmental characteristics and constraints of an area. This information can be used to influence the design and location of individual projects.
(2) A master environmental assessment may provide information agencies can use in initial studies to decide whether certain environmental effects are likely to occur and whether certain effects will be significant.
(3) A master environmental assessment can provide a central source of current information for use in preparing individual EIRs and negative declarations.
(4) Relevant portions of a master environmental assessment can be referenced and summarized in EIRs and negative declarations.
(5) A master environmental assessment can assist in identifying long range, areawide, and cumulative impacts of individual projects proposed in the area covered by the assessment.
(6) A master environmental assessment can assist a city or county in formulating a general plan or any element of such a plan by identifying environmental characteristics and constraints that need to be addressed in the general plan.
(7) A master environmental assessment can serve as a reference document to assist public agencies which review other environmental documents dealing with activities in the area covered by the assessment. The public agency preparing the assessment should forward a completed copy to each agency which will review projects in the area.
1. Change without regulatory effect amending NOTE filed 10-6-2005 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 2005, No. 40).
Note: Authority cited: Section 21083, Public Resources Code. Reference: Section 21003, Public Resources Code.
