Article 8 - Environmental Actions

California Government Code — §§ 12600-12613

Sections (14)

Added by Stats. 1971, Ch. 1518.

The Legislature finds and declares as follows:

(a)It is the policy of this state to conserve, protect, and enhance its environment. It is the policy of this state to prevent destruction, pollution, or irreparable impairment of the environment and the natural resources of this state.

(b)It is in the public interest to provide the people of the State of California through the Attorney General with adequate remedy to protect the natural resources of the State of California from pollution, impairment, or destruction.

(c)Conservation of natural resources and protection of the environment are pursuits often beyond the scope of inquiry, legislation, or enforcement by local government; several local public entities existing in the same ecological community have acted in differing and, sometimes, conflicting manners; uniform, coordinated, and thorough response to the questions of protection of environment and preservation of natural resources must be assured; and these matters are of statewide concern.

§ 12601

Added by Stats. 1971, Ch. 1518.

The provisions of this article are not exclusive, and the remedies provided for in this article shall be in addition to any other remedies provided for in any other law or available under common law.

§ 12602

Added by Stats. 1971, Ch. 1518.

If any provision of this article or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held to be unconstitutional, the remainder of the chapter and the application of such provision to other persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby.

§ 12603

Added by Stats. 1971, Ch. 1518.

This article shall be liberally construed and applied to promote its underlying purposes.

§ 12604

Amended by Stats. 1994, Ch. 1010, Sec. 140. Effective January 1, 1995.

As used in this article, “person” includes any person, firm, association, organization, partnership, business trust, corporation, limited liability company, company, district, county, city and county, city, town, the state, and any of the agencies and political subdivisions of such entities.

§ 12605

Added by Stats. 1971, Ch. 1518.

As used in this article, “natural resource” includes land, water, air, minerals, vegetation, wildlife, silence, historic or aesthetic sites, or any other natural resource which, irrespective of ownership contributes, or in the future may contribute, to the health, safety, welfare, or enjoyment of a substantial number of persons, or to the substantial balance of an ecological community.

§ 12606

Added by Stats. 1971, Ch. 1518.

The Attorney General shall be permitted to intervene in any judicial or administrative proceeding in which facts are alleged concerning pollution or adverse environmental effects which could affect the public generally.

§ 12607

Added by Stats. 1971, Ch. 1518.

The Attorney General may maintain an action for equitable relief in the name of the people of the State of California against any person for the protection of the natural resources of the state from pollution, impairment, or destruction.

§ 12608

Added by Stats. 1971, Ch. 1518.

In any action maintained under Section 12607, the defendant may also show, by way of an affirmative defense, that there is no more feasible and prudent alternative to the defendant’s conduct, and that such conduct is consistent with the protection of the public health, safety, and welfare.

§ 12609

Added by Stats. 1971, Ch. 1518.

Any action brought pursuant to Section 12607 to review, set aside, void or annul any decision in any zoning matter of an administrative body or of a legislative body, or concerning any of the proceedings, acts or determinations taken, done or made prior to such decision, or to determine the reasonableness, legality or validity of any such decision shall not be maintained unless such action is commenced within 180 days after the date of such decision.

§ 12610

Added by Stats. 1971, Ch. 1518.

In granting temporary and permanent equitable relief, the court may impose such conditions upon the defendant as are required to protect the natural resources of the state from pollution, impairment, or destruction.

§ 12611

Added by Stats. 1971, Ch. 1518.

(a)Whenever proceedings before an administrative agency are pending or available to determine the legality of the defendants’ conduct, program, or product, the court shall stay the action brought pursuant to Section 12607 pending the completion of such proceedings unless such stay will result in irreparable pollution, impairment or destruction to any natural resource.

(b)In the order staying the proceedings under subdivision (a), the court may grant temporary equitable relief where appropriate to prevent irreparable pollution, impairment or destruction of any natural

resource.

§ 12612

Added by Stats. 1971, Ch. 1518.

(a)In any administrative, licensing, or other such proceeding or in any proceeding for judicial review thereof which is made available by law, the Attorney General shall be permitted to intervene upon showing that the proceeding or action for judicial review involves conduct, programs, or products which may have the effect of impairing, polluting, or destroying the natural resources of the state.

(b)In any proceeding described in subdivision (a), in which the Attorney General is a party, the agency or court shall consider the alleged impairment, pollution, or destruction of the

natural resources of the state, and no conduct, program, or product shall be authorized or approved which does, or will have such effect unless it is consistent with the protection of the public health, safety, or welfare.

(c)In any judicial review under this section, the evidence before the court shall consist of the record before the agency and any other relevant evidence which, in the judgment of the court, should be considered to effectuate and implement the policies of this article.

§ 12613

Added by Stats. 2025, Ch. 120, Sec. 1. (SB 352) Effective January 1, 2026.

There is continued in existence in the Department of Justice a Bureau of Environmental Justice.