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 (EIR) 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 also requires a lead agency to prepare a mitigated negative declaration for a project that may have a significant effect on the environment if revisions in the project would avoid or mitigate that effect and there is no substantial evidence that the project, as revised, would have a significant effect on the environment.

CEQA confers standing on a person satisfying specified requirements to file and maintain an action or proceeding alleging that an EIR, a negative declaration, or a mitigated negative declaration was not prepared and certified in compliance with CEQA.

This bill would limit the standing to file and maintain the above action or proceeding to the Attorney General.