What are Exemptions Under CEQA and How Are They Used?
There are types of exemptions under CEQA: statutory and categorical. Statutory exemptions are projects specifically excluded from CEQA consideration as defined by the State Legislature. These exemptions are delineated in PRC 21080 et seq. A statutory exemption applies to any given project that falls under its definition, regardless of the projects potential impacts to the environment. However, it is important to note that any CEQA exemption applies only to CEQA and not, of course, to any other state, local or federal laws that may be applicable to a proposed project. Categorical exemptions operate very differently from statutory exemptions. Categorical exemptions are made up of classes of projects that generally are considered not to have potential impacts on the environment. Categorical exemptions are identified by the State Resources Agency and are defined in the CEQA Guidelines (14 CCR Section 15300-15331). Unlike statutory exemptions, categorical exemptions are not allowed to be us
