SUMMARY
Assembly Bill (AB) 1001, has two components.
First, the bill would require that mitigation
measures identified in an environmental impact
report or mitigation neg ative declaration to
mitigate or compensate the adverse effects of a
project on air or water quality directly in the
disadvantaged community. Additionally, the bill
would direct public agencies implementing CEQA
to give consideration to the principles of
environmental justice.
BACKGROUND & PROBLEM
The California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA) is intended to inform public agencies
and the communities surrounding a potential
project about the environmental impacts of
that project. The intent is to inform
decisionmakers about the negative impacts a
project may have or water or air quality in that
community.
Within CEQA, there are mitigation
requirements, however, those mitigation
requirements are not always mitigated within
that specific community.
Environmental justi ce is defined in Section
65040.12(e) of the Government Code as the
“fair treatment of people of all races, cultures,
and incomes with respect to the development,
adoption, implementation, and enforcement of
environmental laws, regulations and policies.”
The environmental justice movement has
fought for years to ensure that all
communities, especially those overburdened,
have a seat at the table. Overburdened
communites suffer from poor air quality, have
higher incidences of asthma, diabetes and
cancer. They’re sicker and dying at faster rates
that those who have the benefit of living in a
community not overburdened.
SOLUTION
AB 1001 will require that mitigation measures
identified in an environmental impact report or
mitigation negative declaratio n must mitigate
those impacts directly within the disadvantaged
community.
AB 1001 also directs public agencies implementing
CEQA to give consideration to the principles of
environmental justice.
The goal of this bill is to recognize the adverse
impacts that disadvantaged communities have
faced and attempt to create healthier communities
by requiring mitigation or compensation and
additional consideration of environmental justice
when implementing the CEQA process.
STATUS
Assembly Floor
CONTACT
Tiffany Ryan
Office of Assemblymember Cristina Garcia
[email protected]
Assembly Bill 1001
Assemblymember Cristina Garcia (D – 58)