California Supplemental (CSE) Practice Exam

How is compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) addressed during the entitlement phase?

1. Review of economic impacts

2. Review for compliance with zoning code

3. Review for compliance with CEQA

4. Review of building materials

The correct answer is: Review for compliance with CEQA

During the entitlement phase, compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) is primarily concerned with ensuring that a proposed project meets the environmental review requirements established by the Act. This involves an assessment of the potential environmental impacts of the project and determining whether those impacts can be mitigated or avoided entirely. The review process includes collecting relevant data, evaluating significant effects on the environment, engaging with the community, and providing opportunities for public comment. CEQA mandates that lead agencies conduct thorough environmental reviews before proceeding with project approvals, which is critical for protecting California's environmental resources. This process can include various types of environmental documents like negative declarations, mitigated negative declarations, or environmental impact reports, depending on the project's anticipated impacts. In contrast, other options focus on areas that, while important for the overall project approval process, do not directly pertain to the environmental analysis mandated by CEQA. For instance, reviewing economic impacts may be part of a broader assessment but is not a requirement under CEQA. Similarly, ensuring compliance with zoning codes is a separate regulatory process that does not explicitly involve environmental considerations under CEQA, and reviewing building materials tends to focus on construction standards rather than environmental impacts. Thus, the emphasis on compliance with CEQA during the entitlement phase is