(a) Notwithstanding any other law, from October 31, 2022, to October 31, 2026, inclusive, the department shall submit an application for certification to the commission in accordance with this article for a site on which a facility is located.

(b) The issuance of a certificate by the commission for a site and related facility pursuant to this article shall be in lieu of any permit, certificate, or similar document required by any state, local or regional agency, or federal agency to the extent permitted by federal law, for the use of the site and related facility, and shall supersede any applicable statutes, including the California Coastal Act of 1976 (Division 20 (commencing with Section 30000) of this code) and Title 7.2 (commencing with Section 66600) of the Government Code, ordinances, regulations, or standards of a state, local, or regional agency, or a federal agency, to the extent permitted by federal law, and shall not be subject to the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000)) and regulations adopted pursuant to that division.

(c)  The Legislature finds and declares that this section addresses a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair as that term is used in § 5 of Article XI of the California Constitution. Therefore, this section applies to all cities, including charter cities.

(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 131, Sec. 180. (AB 1754) Effective January 1, 2024.)