Criteria 1-12 are recommended for use by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines, Section 15206. Criteria 13-22 reflect SCAG’s mandates and regionally significant projects that directly relate to policies and strategies contained in the RCPG.

CEQA Requirements

1. A proposed local general plan, element, or amendment thereof for which an EIR was prepared.
2. A proposed residential development of more than 500 dwelling units.
3. A proposed shopping center or business establishment employing more than 1,000 persons or encompassing more than 500,000 square feet of floor space.
4. A proposed commercial office building employing more than 1,000 persons or encompassing more than 250,000 square feet of floor space.
5. A proposed hotel/motel of more than 500 rooms.
6. A proposed industrial, manufacturing, or processing plant, or industrial park planned to house more than 1,000 persons, occupying more than 40 acres of land, or encompassing more than 650,000 square feet of floor area.
7. A project that would result in the cancellation of a Williamson Act Contract for any parcel of 100 or more acres.
8. A project for which an EIR was prepared and which is located in and substantially impacting an area of critical environmental sensitivity. This includes the California Coastal Zone.
9. A project that would substantially affect sensitive wildlife habitats such as riparian lands, wetlands, bays, estuaries, marshes, and habitats for rare and endangered species.
10. A project that would interfere with the attainment of regional water quality standards as stated in the approved areawide wastewater management plan.
11. A project that would provide housing, jobs, or occupancy for 500 or more people within 10 miles of a nuclear power plant.
12. A project that has the potential for causing significant effects on the environment extending beyond the city or county in which the project would be located.

Transportation

13. Construction or expansion of freeways; state highways; principle arterials; routes that provide primary access to major activity centers, such as amusement parks, regional shopping centers, military bases, airports, and ports; goods movement routes, including both truck routes and rail lines; intermodal transfer facilities, such as transit centers, rail stations, airports, and ports; and fixed transit routes, such as light and heavy rail, and commuter rail.

Public Services/Utilities

14. New or expanded electrical generating facilities and transmission lines.
15. Petroleum-related recovery operations, storage facilities or expansion of existing facilities and pipelines that are part of a regional or national distribution system.
16. Flood control projects, dams, reservoirs or debris basins on or affecting a major body of water that has a tributary area of 20,000 acres at the county line; or facilities on a drainage course having a tributary basin of 50,000 acres and draining directly into the ocean.
17. Regional water management plans.
18. Sewage treatment facilities with a capacity of 750,000 gallons per day, of the expansion of an existing facility by that much, and any proposed interceptor.
19. Water treatment facilities with a capacity of 225,000 gallons per day, or the expansion of an existing facility by that much, and proposed major arterial water mains.
20. Proposed solid waste disposal sites in excess of 40 acres or the expansion of these facilities by 40 acres.
21. Regional waste management plans.

Other Projects

22. Air quality regulatory plans.