65041-65049
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.