CEQA glossary

Cortese List

The Cortese List is CalEPA's public-resource label for information about facilities or sites meeting Government Code section 65962.5 requirements.

The Cortese List is CalEPA's label for public data resources about facilities or sites that meet “Cortese List” requirements. It is not one parcel-clearance database. The relevant source for a property depends on the statutory category and the agency or local enforcement agency responsible for that source.

Why it matters

Government Code section 65962.5 assigns list-related duties to several agencies and local enforcement agencies. 2018 CEQA Guidelines Appendix G uses a site included on a list compiled under that section as one part of the Hazards and Hazardous Materials question. A practitioner should identify the applicable statutory category and retain the exact public record reviewed.

What it does not establish

A Cortese List reference does not establish that a property is on a list, that a nearby record lies within the property boundary, or that the project would create a significant hazard. A no-record result from one source does not establish that every statutory category has been checked.

Primary source

CalEPA's Cortese List Data Resources identifies public data resources for facilities or sites meeting Cortese List requirements. For the DTSC categories described on its page, see Cortese List section 65962.5(a).

Published 2026-09-10 · Last materially reviewed 2026-09-10