California Plan Would Block Projects From Environmental Lawsuits
California is looking to fast-track a pilot project that would exempt some construction projects from environment-related legal challenges. It's a move aimed at speeding development and creating jobs, but critics say it will harm the environment.
"The California Environmental Quality Act Litigation Protection Pilot Program would allow the state's Business, Housing and Transportation Agency to identify 25 construction projects a year that would not be subject to legal challenges once the environmental impact reports are complete and approved."
It's part of a package of measure introduced by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to boost job creation in the state. Critics say the program would allow environmentally damaging projects to speed through the approvals process with little oversight.
- Login or register to post comments
- Email this page
- Are California's Green Laws Killing Jobs? - Mar 11, 2010
- Does CEQA Reform Leverage the Environment for Jobs? - Oct 05, 2011
- NFL Cities May Benefit From California Stadium Decision - Oct 24, 2009
- SB 375 Likely to Affect Neighborhood Growth Battles - Feb 12, 2009
- California Moves Ahead With Streamlining of Envionmental Regulations - Jan 30, 2012
Planetizen picks
Contribute
- Top Cities For Singles Revealed
- Are the Arts Losing Out in D.C. Redevelopment?
- Detroit For Sale?
- Chinese Cities in Desperate Need of Competent Planning
- The Rise of Peer-to-Peer Car Sharing
- What the Feds are Doing to Connect Housing Policy to Health Policy
- Why the Politics of Climate Change Matter
- Waste Disposal Becomes Sexy
- Murky Future for Two of D.C.'s Architectural Gems
- The Story Behind One of the Most Controversial Buildings in the Country
My Storm, Managing the Recovery of New Orleans in the Wake of Katrina is Required Reading for Planners
U Penn Press
Feb 13, 2012
Planetizen Announces New Managing Editor: Jonathan Nettler, AICP
Planetizen
Feb 13, 2012
Volunteerism Plays Critical Role in Reaching World’s Millennium Development Goals
Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs, Cleveland State University
Feb 10, 2012
www.flickr.com
|
Irony
The state is exempting itself from it's own rules (legal challenges after the fact being part of the game)... very nice.
I wonder which cousin, relative or friend of influential people in the Business, Housing and Transportation Agency will "coincidentally" be involved in one, or several, of the 25 exempted projects per year (and then spread the wealth by making a nice donation to folks who passed the bill)? I guess I'll have to console myself that at least the people who vote against this proposal will get to extort even more money from the Sierra Club and trial lawyers organizations.
This just seems ripe for abuse.