Land may be acquired by the department if the land is located in a designated corridor of statewide or regional priority as determined pursuant to Section 65081.3 of the Government Code. Proposals by other entities for the acquisition of land by the department shall be submitted to the regional transportation planning agency in whose jurisdiction the land is located for review and recommended action, and be approved by the department. No proposal shall be approved by the department pursuant to this section unless the regional transportation planning agency, after a public hearing, finds that the range of potential transportation facilities to be located on the land can be constructed in a manner which will avoid or mitigate significant environmental impacts or values identified in subdivisions (a), (b), and (c). The regional transportation planning agency is not required to comply with the California Environmental Quality Act in any manner, other than complying with the provisions of subdivision (a), in order to make this finding, if it has prepared an environmental review of the corridor of statewide or regional priority in which the land is located pursuant to Section 65081.3 of the Government Code. The regional transportation planning agency shall base its finding on a consideration of each of the following:

(a) The information contained in the environmental impact report prepared pursuant to Section 65081.3 of the Government Code and a document describing the proposed land acquisition which includes the content of an initial study described in subdivision (d) of Section 15063 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations (California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines). However, the study need not include greater specificity about the type or nature of the proposed transportation project than has been provided in action by the governing body of the project applicant agency.

(b) Review by the Department of Fish and Game. The Department of Fish and Game shall make the results of its review of the proposed land acquisition known to the regional transportation planning agency no later than 30 days after the acquisition is submitted to them by the regional transportation planning agency for review, or its comments shall not be considered in the finding.

(c) Other information submitted to the regional transportation planning agency in the public hearing or in writing regarding the proposed acquisition by the department.

(Added by Stats. 1992, Ch. 754, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 1993.)