Department of Transportation: federal environmental review process: Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

Existing law vests the Department of Transportation with full possession and control of the state highway system. Existing federal law requires the United States Secretary of Transportation to carry out a surface transportation project delivery program, under which the participating states may assume certain responsibilities for environmental review and clearance of transportation projects that would otherwise be the responsibility of the federal government. Existing law provides that the State of California consents to the jurisdiction of the federal courts with regard to the compliance, discharge, or enforcement of the responsibilities the Department of Transportation assumed as a participant in the program. Existing law prohibits the department from delegating any of its responsibilities assumed under these federal laws to any political subdivision of the state or its instrumentalities. This bill would authorize the department, upon the request of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, to delegate any of its responsibilities assumed under these federal laws to the authority for the purpose of accelerating the project delivery timeline for specified transit projects. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the County of Los Angeles.