Rare Show Of Unity on Growth Legislation in CA

"(The bill) would give new regional councils, and the state Air Resources Board, new authority over local land-use and transportation planning decisions.

Under the agreement, developers would be able to expedite their projects and get exemptions from the California Environmental Quality Act, the state’s principal environmental protection statute. In return, environmentalists would have a greater say in how and where projects are located to best reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

SB 375 would become the vehicle to implement the land use portion of AB 32,” said Mary Nichols, chairwoman of the California Air Resources Board. “It would carry out the draft scoping plan for the land-use sector."

“The ARB will not be making land-use decisions,” she said. “We will just set targets. It will be up to the locals to implement the plans that meet those targets.”