Habitat Conservation Planning
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Habitat
Conservation Planning Branch
CA Department of Fish and Wildlife
1416 Ninth Street, 12th Floor
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 653-4875
- The California Environmental Quality Act
- External CEQA Project Review Procedures
- CEQA Filing Fees
- Process for No Effect Determinations
- Federal Project Review
- CDFW's Internal CEQA Procedures
- Other Types of CEQA Project Reviews
Related Links
- California Law CEQA consists of Public Resources Code sections 21000-21177
- CEQA Statutes and Guidelines CEQA code and reference information (note: some information is out of date)
- CEQA FAQ (PDF)
- CEQA Public Notices
- SB 1535 (PDF) Changes in filing fees
- Fish and Game Code Section 711.4 and Section 713 Legal information on filing fees
CEQA Document Filing Fees
CDFW imposes and collects a filing fee to defray the costs of managing and protecting California’s vast fish and wildlife resources, including, but not limited to, consulting with other public agencies, reviewing environmental documents, recommending mitigation measures, and developing monitoring programs.
| CEQA Document | Fees Effective January 1, 2013 |
Fees Effective January 1, 2014 |
|---|---|---|
| Negative Declaration (ND) | $2,156.25 | $2,181.25 |
| Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) | $2,156.25 | $2,181.25 |
| Environmental Impact Report (EIR) | $2,995.25 | $3,029.75 |
| Environmental Document pursuant to a Certified Regulatory Program (CRP)* | $1,018.50 | $1,030.25 |
| County Clerk Processing Fee** | $50.00 | $50.00 |
* CRPs include certain state agency regulatory programs as defined in section 21080.5 of the Public Resources Code and section 15251 of the CEQA Guidelines. Beginning July 1, 2013, CEQA/CRP Filing Fees will no longer apply to the filing of Notices of Decision or Determination for Forest Practice Rules and Timber Harvest Plans (Pub. Resources Code, § 4629.6, added by Stats. 2012, ch. 289, § 3).
** Additional county fees may apply. Please check with your county clerk’s office for details.
Annual Fee Adjustments
CDFW is required to adjust the fees annually (Fish & G. Code, § 713). The annual fee adjustments are based on changes in the Implicit Price Deflator for State and Local Government Purchases of Goods and Services, as published by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Annual filing fee adjustments are posted on CDFW’s website prior to November 1 of the year before they become effective.
Payment of Fees
The project applicant is responsible for payment of the filing fee (Fish & G. Code, § 711.4). Filing Fees are due at the time a Notice of Determination is filed with the county clerk’s office (local lead agency), or with the State Clearinghouse (state lead agency). Fees due for Certified Regulatory Program notices are due to CDFW directly and before the respective Notice of Decision is filed with the Secretary for Natural Resources.
For more information on filing fees and No Effect Determinations, please refer to California Code of Regulations, title 14, section 753.5.
Exemptions and No Effect Determinations
The CEQA filing fee will be waived if a project will have no effect on fish and wildlife (Fish & G. Code, § 711.4, subd. (c)(2)(A)). Additionally, projects that are statutorily or categorically exempt from CEQA are also not subject to the filing fee, and do not require a no effect determination (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, §§ 15260-15333; Fish & G. Code, § 711.4, subd. (d)(1)). Regional environmental review and permitting staff are responsible for determining whether a project within their region will qualify for a no effect determination and if the CEQA filing fee will be waived.
Instructions for County Clerks
Contact CEQA Program – CDFW staff cannot make decisions or intercede on CEQA projects under the jurisdiction of another lead agency. Please address project-specific comments to the project's lead agency.