California Supplemental (CSE) Practice Exam

What happens within 180 days of when an EIR is certified for a project under the Permit Streamlining Act?

1. A decision to approve or deny the project must be made

2. The environmental impacts are reviewed again

3. The public will have a chance to comment

4. New regulations will be applied

The correct answer is: A decision to approve or deny the project must be made

When an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) is certified for a project under the Permit Streamlining Act, a crucial timeline is set in motion. The Act mandates that a decision to approve or deny the project must be made within 180 days of the certification. This provision is designed to promote efficiency in the permitting process and ensures that projects do not face unnecessary delays after the environmental review has been completed. The focus during this period is on making a determination regarding the project's approval status, based on the findings of the EIR. The significance of this timeframe lies in its capacity to safeguard the interests of developers while also considering environmental implications. This process fosters accountability and expedience in project execution, ensuring that stakeholders receive timely decisions that are essential for planning and investment. In contrast, the other options involve actions that generally do not occur in this specific 180-day timeframe post-EIR certification. Environmental impacts are not subject to a re-review, public comments related to the EIR would have already been solicited prior to certification, and new regulations typically require a legislative process that extends beyond the immediate decision-making window for EIR certification under the Permit Streamlining Act.