The California Environmantal Quality Act (Public Resources Code 21000 et seq.), commonly referred to as "CEQA", was enacted by the California Legislature in 1970. In passing CEQA, the Legislature intended:
"...that all agencies of the state government which regulate activities of private individuals, corporations, and public agencies which are found to affect the quality of the environment, shall regulate such activities so that major consideration is given to preventing environmental damage, while providing a decent home and satisfying living environment for every Californian." (CEQA 21000. (g))
A complete online version of CEQA can be found at http://ceres.ca.gov/ceqa/. If you want to explore the actual text of CEQA, consult the website above.
The CEQA Guidelines embody both the statutory mandates of CEQA and the nuances added by various judicial decisions interpreting the statue. The procedures that public agencies adopt to implement CEQA must be consistent with these Guidelines. You can review the CEQA Guidelines by visiting http://www.ceres.ca.gov/topic/env_law/ceqa/guidelines/