7. California Environmental Quality Act
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)138 applies to any project that has a potential for resulting in a direct physical change in the environment or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment unless the project is exempt from CEQA by statute or regulation.139 The Phase 2 Workshop Report states that each proposal addressed by today's decision is exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15378 of the CEQA Guidelines140 because it is not a "project" under CEQA and will not have any significant impacts on the environment. No party disagrees with this assessment.
The Commission is the lead agency under CEQA with respect to the regulations adopted by today's decision. We find that all of the adopted regulations are exempt from CEQA pursuant to one or more the following statutory exemptions or categorical exemptions in the CEQA guidelines:
· The adopted regulation allows for the operation, repair, or maintenance of existing electric utility and CIP facilities, and involves negligible or no expansion of an existing authorized use. (&_butType=4&_butStat=0&_butNum=4&_butInline=1&_butinfo=14 CA ADMIN 15000&_fmtstr=FULL&docnum=14&_startdoc=11&wchp=dGLzVzb-zSkAb&_md5=bfb1a222b477eb8e3b868e5968ed5af3" target="_top">14 Cal. Code Regs., Section 15301(b).)
· The adopted regulation allows for the restoration or rehabilitation of deteriorated or damaged structures, facilities, or mechanical equipment to meet current standards of public health and safety, and involves negligible or no expansion of an existing authorized use. (&_butType=4&_butStat=0&_butNum=4&_butInline=1&_butinfo=14 CA ADMIN 15000&_fmtstr=FULL&docnum=14&_startdoc=11&wchp=dGLzVzb-zSkAb&_md5=bfb1a222b477eb8e3b868e5968ed5af3" target="_top">14 Cal. Code Regs., Section 15301(d).)
· The adopted regulation allows for the maintenance of existing landscaping and native growth, and involves negligible or no expansion of an existing authorized use. (&_butType=4&_butStat=0&_butNum=4&_butInline=1&_butinfo=14 CA ADMIN 15000&_fmtstr=FULL&docnum=14&_startdoc=11&wchp=dGLzVzb-zSkAb&_md5=bfb1a222b477eb8e3b868e5968ed5af3" target="_top">14 Cal. Code Regs., Section 15301(h).)
· The adopted regulation allows for minor alterations of land that provide for fuel management activities within 30 feet of structures to reduce the volume of flammable vegetation, and will not result in the taking of endangered, rare, or threatened plant or animal species or significant erosion and sedimentation of surface waters. (&_butType=4&_butStat=0&_butNum=4&_butInline=1&_butinfo=14 CA ADMIN 15000&_fmtstr=FULL&docnum=14&_startdoc=11&wchp=dGLzVzb-zSkAb&_md5=bfb1a222b477eb8e3b868e5968ed5af3" target="_top">14 Cal. Code Regs., Section 15304(i).)
· The adopted regulation involves the creation of government funding mechanisms or other government fiscal activities, which do not involve any commitment to a specific project which may result in a potentially significant physical impact on the environment. (&_butType=4&_butStat=0&_butNum=4&_butInline=1&_butinfo=14 CA ADMIN 15000&_fmtstr=FULL&docnum=14&_startdoc=11&wchp=dGLzVzb-zSkAb&_md5=bfb1a222b477eb8e3b868e5968ed5af3" target="_top">14 Cal. Code Regs., Section 15378(b)(4).)
· The adopted regulation involves the establishment, modification, structuring, restructuring, or approval of rates or other charges for the purpose of (A) meeting operating expenses, including employee wage rates and fringe benefits, (B) purchasing or leasing supplies, equipment, or materials, (C) meeting financial reserve needs and requirements, (D) obtaining funds for capital projects necessary to maintain service within existing service areas. (Pub. Res. Code § 21080(b)(8).)
· The adopted regulation will not have a potentially significant impact on the environment and is therefore not a "project" as defined by CEQA in Pub. Res. Code § 21065 and &_butType=4&_butStat=0&_butNum=4&_butInline=1&_butinfo=14 CA ADMIN 15000&_fmtstr=FULL&docnum=14&_startdoc=11&wchp=dGLzVzb-zSkAb&_md5=bfb1a222b477eb8e3b868e5968ed5af3" target="_top">14 Cal. Code Regs., Section 15378(a).
· The regulation continues provisions which were adopted in D.09-08-029, or which are very similar to those adopted in D.09-08-029, wherein it was determined that CEQA did not apply to the adopted measures. (D.09-08-029 at 7.)
138 CEQA is contained in &_butType=4&_butStat=0&_butNum=3&_butInline=1&_butinfo=CA PUB RES 21000&_fmtstr=FULL&docnum=4&_startdoc=1&wchp=dGLzVzb-zSkAb&_md5=a71881c6cc1886c07a6322c5458a5df9" target="_top">Cal. Pub. Res. Code § 21000 et seq.
139 &_butType=4&_butStat=0&_butNum=4&_butInline=1&_butinfo=14 CA ADMIN 15000&_fmtstr=FULL&docnum=14&_startdoc=11&wchp=dGLzVzb-zSkAb&_md5=bfb1a222b477eb8e3b868e5968ed5af3" target="_top"> 14 Cal. Code Regs., Section 15378.
140 The CEQA guidelines are set forth in &_butType=4&_butStat=0&_butNum=4&_butInline=1&_butinfo=14 CA ADMIN 15000&_fmtstr=FULL&docnum=14&_startdoc=11&wchp=dGLzVzb-zSkAb&_md5=bfb1a222b477eb8e3b868e5968ed5af3" target="_top">14 Cal. Code Regs., Section 15000 et seq.
