(a) For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:

(1) “Low-level flight path” includes any flight path for any aircraft owned, maintained, or that is under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Defense that flies lower than 1,500 feet above ground level, as indicated in the United States Department of Defense Flight Information Publication, “Area Planning Military Training Routes: North and South America (AP/1B)” published by the United States National Imagery and Mapping Agency.

(2) “Military impact zone” includes any area, including airspace, that meets both of the following criteria:

(A) Is within two miles of a military installation, including, but not limited to, any base, military airport, camp, post, station, yard, center, homeport facility for a ship, or any other military activity center that is under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Defense.

(B) Covers greater than 500 acres of unincorporated land, or greater than 100 acres of city incorporated land.

(3) “Military service” means any branch of the United States Armed Forces.

(4) “Special use airspace” means the area underlying the airspace that is designated for training, research, development, or evaluation for a military service, as that area is established by the United States Department of Defense Flight Information Publication, “Area Planning: Special Use Airspace: North and South America (AP/1A)” published by the United States National Imagery and Mapping Agency.

(b) If the United States Department of Defense or a military service notifies a lead agency of the contact office and address for the military service and the specific boundaries of a low-level flight path, military impact zone, or special use airspace, the lead agency shall submit notices, as required pursuant to Sections 21080.4 and 21092, to the military service if the project is within those boundaries and any of the following apply:

(1) The project includes a general plan amendment.

(2) The project is of statewide, regional, or areawide significance.

(3) The project is required to be referred to the airport land use commission, or appropriately designated body, pursuant to Article 3.5 (commencing with Section 21670) of Chapter 4 of Part 1 of Division 9 of the Public Utilities Code.

(c) The requirement to submit notices imposed by this section does not apply to any of the following:

(1) Response actions taken pursuant to Chapter 6.8 (commencing with Section 25300) of Division 20 of the Health and Safety Code.

(2) Response actions taken pursuant to Chapter 6.85 (commencing with Section 25396) of Division 20 of the Health and Safety Code.

(3) Sites subject to corrective action orders issued pursuant to Section 25187 of the Health and Safety Code.

(d) (1) The effect or potential effect that a project may have on military activities does not itself constitute an adverse effect on the environment for the purposes of this division.

(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a project’s impact on military activities may cause, or be associated with, adverse effects on the environment that are subject to the requirements of this division, including, but not limited to, Section 21081.

(Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 142, Sec. 4. (SB 242) Effective January 1, 2020.)