Section 1742 - Staff Assessment(a) Upon acceptance of the application pursuant to Section 1709, staff shall consult with local, state and federal agencies with special expertise or interest in environmental, health, safety and reliability matters related to the application.(b) The staff shall prepare a preliminary and final environmental assessment of the proposed site and related facilities. Staff's final assessment is the staff's independent report that describes and analyzes the significant environmental effects of a project, the completeness of the applicant's proposed mitigation measures, and the need for, and feasibility of, additional or alternative mitigation measures. The assessment also evaluates the safety and reliability of a project. In developing its assessment, staff may rely on information submitted by parties, other public agencies, members of the public, and experts in the field, as well as any other information obtained through staff's independent research and investigation.(c) Staff's preliminary environmental assessment shall be subject to at least a 30 day public comment period or such additional time as required by the presiding member. After close of the comment period staff shall publish a final staff assessment, which shall include responses to comments on significant environmental issues received during the comment period. The final staff assessment shall be filed according to a schedule set by the presiding member. If there is no applicable schedule; the final staff assessment shall be filed at least 14 days before the first evidentiary hearing on the subjects covered in the staff assessment.(d) The staff assessment shall provide a description of all applicable federal, state, regional, and local laws, ordinances, regulations and standards and the project's compliance with them. In the case of noncompliance, the staff assessment shall provide a description of all staff efforts with the agencies responsible for enforcing the laws, ordinances, regulations and standards, for which there is noncompliance, in an attempt to correct or eliminate the noncompliance.(e) The staff assessment shall indicate the staff's positions on the environmental issues affecting a decision on the applicant's proposal.Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 20, § 1742
1. Amendment of NOTE filed 1-11-83; designated effective 2-1-83 pursuant to Government Code section 11346.2(d) (Register 83, No. 3).
2. Amendment of subsection (b) filed 8-10-93; operative 9-9-93 (Register 93, No. 33).
3. Amendment of section heading, section and NOTE filed 12-21-2015; operative 1-1-2016 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4(b)(3) (Register 2015, No. 52). Note: Authority cited: Sections 25213, 25218(e) and 25541.5, Public Resources Code. Reference: Sections 21081, 25216.5, 25217(b), 25519 and 25520(b), Public Resources Code.
1. Amendment of NOTE filed 1-11-83; designated effective 2-1-83 pursuant to Government Code section 11346.2(d) (Register 83, No. 3).
2. Amendment of subsection (b) filed 8-10-93; operative 9-9-93 (Register 93, No. 33).
3. Amendment of section heading, section and Note filed 12-21-2015; operative 1/1/2016 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4(b)(3) (Register 2015, No. 52).