SECTIONS 65041-65049 - California Statutes

GOVERNMENT CODE

SECTION 65041-65049

65041. The Governor shall prepare and thereafter shall cause to be
maintained, regularly reviewed, and revised a comprehensive State
Environmental Goals and Policy Report. In the preparation of the
report, priority shall be given to the development of statewide land
use policy, including the recommendations resulting from the land use
planning and implementation program set forth in Section 65040.6,
and including the recommendations of the Planning Advisory and
Assistance Council established pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section
65040.6. The report shall contain, but not be limited to, the
following:
(a) An overview, looking 20 to 30 years ahead, of state growth and
development and a statement of approved state environmental goals
and objectives, including those directed to land use, population
growth and distribution, development, the conservation of natural
resources, and air and water quality.
(b) Description of new and revised state policies, programs and
other actions of the executive and legislative branches required to
implement statewide environmental goals, including intermediate-range
plans and actions directed to natural resources, human resources and
transportation.
(c) On and after January 1, 2004, any revision to the report shall
provide that the goals are consistent with the state planning
priorities specified pursuant to Section 65041.1.

65041.1. The state planning priorities, which are intended to
promote equity, strengthen the economy, protect the environment, and
promote public health and safety in the state, including in urban,
suburban, and rural communities, shall be as follows:
(a) To promote infill development and equity by rehabilitating,
maintaining, and improving existing infrastructure that supports
infill development and appropriate reuse and redevelopment of
previously developed, underutilized land that is presently served by
transit, streets, water, sewer, and other essential services,
particularly in underserved areas, and to preserving cultural and
historic resources.
(b) To protect environmental and agricultural resources by
protecting, preserving, and enhancing the state's most valuable
natural resources, including working landscapes such as farm, range,
and forest lands, natural lands such as wetlands, watersheds,
wildlife habitats, and other wildlands, recreation lands such as
parks, trails, greenbelts, and other open space, and landscapes with
locally unique features and areas identified by the state as
deserving special protection.
(c) To encourage efficient development patterns by ensuring that
any infrastructure associated with development, other than infill
development, supports new development that does all of the following:
(1) Uses land efficiently.
(2) Is built adjacent to existing developed areas to the extent
consistent with the priorities specified pursuant to subdivision (b).
(3) Is located in an area appropriately planned for growth.
(4) Is served by adequate transportation and other essential
utilities and services.
(5) Minimizes ongoing costs to taxpayers.

65042. Every officer, agency, department, or instrumentality of
state government shall do all of the following:
(a) Cooperate in the preparation and maintenance of the State
Environmental Goals and Policy Report.
(b) By January 1, 2005, ensure that their entity's functional plan
is consistent with the state planning priorities specified pursuant
to Section 65041.1 and annually demonstrate to the office, and to the
Department of Finance when requesting infrastructure pursuant to
subdivision (a) of Section 13102, how the plans are consistent with
those priorities.
(c) Comply with any request for advice, assistance, information or
other material.

65043. The maximum public understanding and response to alternative
statewide environmental goals, policies and actions shall be sought
in the preparation and maintenance of the State Environmental Goals
and Policy Report. The Governor shall consider the desirability of
periodic public hearings, the formation of citizen advisory groups
and other appropriate actions to accomplish this purpose.

65044. Upon completion of the State Environmental Goals and Policy
Report, the Governor, prior to approval, shall seek the advice of the
Legislature and for this purpose shall transmit the report to the
Speaker of the Assembly and to the Senate Rules Committee.

65045. The Legislature may assign the report for study to one or
more standing committees, or to a joint committee and may hold
hearings, solicit testimony and take other appropriate action to
secure review of the report. Following such review, the Legislature
may act by resolution to approve the environmental goals and policies
proposed in the report as an indication of legislative intent; or
state findings and conclusions and offer changes, deletions or
modifications in the environmental goals and policies of the report,
or both.

65046. The Governor shall consider any advice offered by the
Legislature as provided in Section 65045 and, upon his approval,
shall transmit the report to the Legislature, to state agencies,
departments and boards, appropriate federal agencies and to the chief
executive officer of every city and county in the state.

65047. Upon approval by the Governor, the State Environmental Goals
and Policy Report shall serve to:
(a) Record approved goals, policies and decisions of state
government related to statewide growth and development and the
preservation of environmental quality.
(b) Advise the Legislature of statutory action required to
implement state environmental goals and objectives.
(c) Inform other levels of government and the public at large of
approved state environmental goals and objectives and the proposed
direction of state programs and actions in achieving them.
(d) Provide a clear framework of goals and objectives as a guide
to the preparation and evaluation of state functional plans.
(e) Serve as a basis for judgments about the design, location and
priority of major public programs, capital projects and other
actions, including the allocation of state resources for
environmental purposes through the budget and appropriation process.

65048. (a) The State Environmental Goals and Policy Report shall be
revised, updated, and transmitted by the Governor to the Legislature
every four years. Any revision on and after January 1, 2004, shall
be consistent with the state planning priorities specified pursuant
to Section 65041.1. The Governor may, at any time, inform and seek
advice of the Legislature on proposed changes in state environmental
goals, objectives, and policies.
(b) The Office of Planning and Research shall report to the
Governor and the Legislature annually on or before January 1
regarding the implementation of the State Environmental Goals and
Policy Report. The office shall give priority to the preparation of
this report, but shall fund the report only out of its existing
resources.

65049. Following approval of the State Environmental Goals and
Policy Report as provided in Section 65046, the report shall serve as
a guide for state expenditures. In transmitting the annual budget to
the Legislature, information shall be included relating proposed
expenditures to the achievement of statewide goals and objectives set
forth in the report.