Environmental quality: CEQA: public assistance and information program: recommendations: review of transit-oriented development.

The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires a lead agency, as defined, to prepare, or cause to be prepared, and certify the completion of, an environmental impact report on a project that it proposes to carry out or approve that may have a significant effect on the environment, or to adopt a negative declaration if it finds that the project will not have that effect. CEQA requires the Office of Planning and Research, using existing resources, to implement a public assistance and information program that includes the establishment of a public education and training program, a data base to assist in the preparation of environmental documents, and a central repository for the collection, storage, retrieval, and dissemination of specified CEQA notices. CEQA further requires that, commencing January 1, 2003, copies of any documents submitted in electronic form to the Office of Planning and Research pursuant to those provisions be furnished by the office to the California State Library. This bill would additionally require the Office of Planning and Research, not later than July 1, 2012, to prepare and submit to the Legislature a report containing recommendations for expedited environmental review for transit-oriented development.