2017 California bills – https://discoveryink.wordpress.com/ca-bills-2017
CEQA Works – http://ceqaworks.org/
Planning & Conservation League/Foundation – www.pcl.org
Community Actions: Using CEQA to Protect Your Community
download pdf: CEQA
California Housing and Community Developement: http://www.hcd.ca.gov/index.shtml
PCL Foundation has a rich legacy of writing and producing cutting edge environmental publications that enable individuals and organizations to make use of California’s environmental laws, environmental institutions, and newest research in their efforts to protect the environment. See documents available to download, and publications and DVDs that are available to purchase through our office.
California State Legislature – http://www.legislature.ca.gov
Committees, hearings and events, as well as updates on pending bills in both houses.
Latest Proposed CEQA Legislation (SB 122) Seeks To Reform Administrative Record Process – At A Price – By Arthur F. Coon : jdsupra – excerpt
California Senate Bill No. 122 (SB 122), introduced by Senators Jackson, Hill and Roth on January 15, 2015, appears to be the newest stab at legislative CEQA “reform.” But numerous of SB 122’s embryonic provisions raise questions as to whether this proposed curative measure might have some deleterious side effects… (more)
Using CEQA to Protect Your Community
***
On a 5-0 vote, the committee approved the current version of his reform measure, Senate Bill 731, on assurances that it’s a “work in progress.” (more in the SacBee)
Thus far, the Legislature has remained quiet on major CEQA reform this year. However, we are starting to see a number of smaller-but-troubling bills from both sides of the aisle, and we will be on our guard for gut-and-amend legislation later this session. PCL is opposing three CEQA exemption bills: AB 1849 (Logue), which exempts levee maintenance, repair, and replacement; AB 2353 (Waldron), which exempts the expansion or replacement of existing surface storage facilities; and AB 2417 (Nazarian), which exempts all new recycled water pipelines under 8 miles in length.
PCL is also opposing SB 1398 (Cannella). The bill bars injunctive relief in action brought under CEQA to challenge “maintenance activities” for the Salinas River unless the highest standards of imminent threat or unforeseen impacts are met. This means that regardless of how easy it would be to implement mitigation measures or alternatives to avoid known and documented significant impacts, it will be nearly impossible to stop the project long enough to ensure that such measures are actually incorporated and implemented.
We would also like to call your attention to the industry-backed SB 1451 (Hill), a problematic CEQA bill related to document dumping, which dramatically reduces the time period for public comment. PCL and several other environmental groups have had productive conversations with the author’s office, but have come out in opposition to the bill in its current form. Many labor groups are also opposed to the bill. It looks like we’re gearing up for a tough fight, as Senator Steinberg and others have signed on as co-authors, and the Chamber of Commerce, Building Industry Association, and a long list of business and industry groups lead the supporters.
How You Can Help
You can reach out to individual members of:
- The Assembly Natural Resources Committee and urge their NO vote on AB 2353 (Waldron) and AB 2417 (Nazarian)
- The Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee and urge their NO vote on SB 1398 (Cannella)
- The Senate Environmental Quality Committee and urge their NO vote on SB 1451 (Hill)
- Help us expand to become the largest environmental coalition the state has ever seen by directing groups or individuals to http://ceqaworks.org/take-action/.
- Participate in media outreach. Sample letters to the editor can be seen here.
- If it is within your means, please provide financial support to allow PCL Foundation to continue coordinating CEQA Works.
Thanks for all that you do to help keep CEQA strong and protect our communities and environment!
Sincerely,
Rebecca Crebbin-Coates, Policy Director
Planning & Conservation League/Foundation
1107 9th Street, Ste 901
Sacramento, California 95814
(T)(916) 822-5637 (F)(916) 822-5650
www.pcl.org
