6. California Environmental Quality Act

The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires that public agencies prepare an environmental impact report whenever the discretionary approval of a proposed project may cause significant adverse impacts on the environment.³⁴ Certain classes of activities have been determined not to have a significant effect on the environment and are exempt from CEQA.³⁵ One of these categorical exemptions applies to the operation and maintenance of existing electric power generation facilities. We believe the adoption of Logbook Standards for thermal powerplants is exempt from CEQA since the standards pertain to the operation and maintenance at existing electric power generating facilities.³⁶ Moreover, to the extent they apply to a new facility, the new facility will be subject to applicable CEQA review when development of the facility is proposed. As a result, we direct the Executive Director to file a notice of exemption indicating this determination.