GOV §65943.5: (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, any appeal pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 65943 involving a permit application to a board, office, or department within the California

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, any appeal pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 65943 involving a permit application to a board, office, or department within the California Environmental Protection Agency shall be made to the Secretary for Environmental Protection. (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, any appeal pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 65943 involving an application for the issuance of an environmental permit from an environmental agency shall be made to the Secretary for Environmental Protection under either of the following circumstances: (1) The environmental agency has not adopted an appeals process pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 65943. (2) The environmental agency declines to accept an appeal for a decision pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 65943. (c) For purposes of subdivision (b), “environmental permit” has the same meaning as defined in Section 71012 of the Public Resources Code, and “environmental agency” has the same meaning as defined in Section 71011 of the Public Resources Code, except that “environmental agency” does not include the agencies described in subdivisions (c) and (h) of Section 71011 of the Public Resources Code.