This study examines how well California's Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) evaluates land use redesignations on transit projects, in particular light rail. A case study of the Natomas Village Center, a proposed project in Sacramento, California, is analyzed in relation to its Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and the CEQA process.Specifically, the focus of the investigation is on assessing the impacts of land use changes on the Downtown-Natomas-Airport light rail alignment. The CEQA methodology and how it is employed are critiqued for their effectiveness in documenting and mitigating the environmental impacts on light rail transit adjacent to the Natomas Village Center. / Department of Urban Planning