Cal. Code Regs. tit. 14 § 15093 : Natural Resources — Resources Agency — Guidelines for Implementation of the California Environmental Quality Act — EIR Process — Statement of Overriding Considerations

(a) CEQA requires the decision-making agency to balance, as applicable, the economic, legal, social, technological, or other benefits, including region-wide or statewide environmental benefits, of a proposed project against its unavoidable environmental risks when determining whether to approve the project. If the specific economic, legal, social, technological, or other benefits, including region-wide or statewide environmental benefits, of a proposal project outweigh the unavoidable adverse environmental effects, the adverse environmental effects may be considered "acceptable."
(b) When the lead agency approves a project which will result in the occurrence of significant effects which are identified in the final EIR but are not avoided or substantially lessened, the agency shall state in writing the specific reasons to support its action based on the final EIR and/or other information in the record. The statement of overriding considerations shall be supported by substantial evidence in the record.
(c) If an agency makes a statement of overriding considerations, the statement should be included in the record of the project approval and should be mentioned in the notice of determination. This statement does not substitute for, and shall be in addition to, findings required pursuant to Section 15091.

Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 14, § 15093

Note: Authority cited: Sections 21083 and 21083.05, Public Resources Code. Reference: Sections 21002 and 21081, Public Resources Code; San Francisco Ecology Center v. City and County of San Francisco (1975) 48 Cal. App. 3d 584; City of Carmel-by-the-Sea v. Board of Supervisors (1977) 71 Cal. App. 3d 84; Sierra Club v. Contra Costa County (1992) 10 Cal.App.4th 1212; Citizens for Quality Growth v. City of Mount Shasta (1988) 198 Cal.App.3d 433; and City of Marina v. Board of Trustees of Cal. State Univ (2006) 39 Cal.4th 341.

1. Amendment of subsections (a) and (b) and amendment of Note filed 5-27-97; operative 5-27-97 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4(d) (Register 97, No. 22).
2. Amendment of subsections (b) and (c) and amendment of Note filed 10-26-98; operative 10-26-98 pursuant to Public Resources Code section 21087 (Register 98, No. 44).
3. Change without regulatory effect amending Note filed 10-6-2005 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 2005, No. 40).
4. Amendment of subsection (a) and Note filed 2-16-2010; operative 3-18-2010 (Register 2010, No. 8).