California Code of Regulations
Title 14 - Natural Resources
Division 6 - Resources Agency
Chapter 3 - Guidelines for Implementation of the California Environmental Quality Act
Article 8 - Time Limits
Section 15105 - Public Review Period for a Draft EIR or a Proposed Negative Declaration or Mitigated Negative Declaration

(a) The public review period for a draft EIR shall not be less than 30 days nor should it be longer than 60 days except in unusual circumstances. When a draft EIR is submitted to the State Clearinghouse for review by state agencies, the public review period shall not be less than 45 days, unless a shorter period, not less than 30 days, is approved by the State Clearinghouse.

(b) The public review period for a proposed negative declaration or mitigated negative declaration shall be not less than 20 days. When a proposed negative declaration or mitigated negative declaration is submitted to the State Clearinghouse for review by state agencies, the public review period shall not be less than 30 days, unless a shorter period, not less than 20 days, is approved by the State Clearinghouse.

(c) If a draft EIR or proposed negative declaration or mitigated negative declaration has been submitted to the State Clearinghouse for review by state agencies, the public review period shall be at least as long as the review period established by the State Clearinghouse. The public review period and the state agency review period may, but are not required to, begin and end at the same time. Day one of the state review period shall be the date that the State Clearinghouse distributes the document to state agencies.

(d) A shortened Clearinghouse review period may be granted in accordance with the provisions of Appendix K and the following principles:

(e) The State Clearinghouse shall distribute a draft EIR or proposed negative declaration or mitigated negative declaration within three working days after the date of receipt if the submittal is determined by the State Clearinghouse to be complete.