Whenever any person applies to any public agency for a lease, permit, license, certificate, or other entitlement for use, the public agency may require that person to submit data and information which may be necessary to enable the public agency to determine whether the proposed project may have a significant effect on the environment or to prepare an environmental impact report.
If any or all of the information so submitted is a “trade secret” as defined in Section 6254.7 of the Government Code by those submitting that information, it shall not be included in the impact report or otherwise disclosed by any public agency. This section shall not be construed to prohibit the exchange of properly designated trade secrets between public agencies who have lawful jurisdiction over the preparation of the impact report.