One legislator believes CEQA "is a key barrier to California meeting its ambitious climate change goals.”

The idea behind a law proposed by a California assemblyman is to take majors obstacles out of the way of transportation projects that would reduce traffic congestion, and therefore reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The issue is that the major obstacle in the way of these projects, according to the bill’s author, is the foundation of environmental protection in the state—the California Environmental Quality Act.
[Assemblyman Tim] Grayson says the law can grind to a halt transportation projects that are needed to reduce the amount of cars on the road. His legislation, Assembly Bill 1905, would make it easier for road or transit projects included in a state-approved regional growth plan to begin construction before any CEQA litigation is resolved.
A number of prominent environmental groups oppose the legislation, crediting "CEQA, which took effect in 1970, with preserving California's natural beauty, and argue it is complementary — not contrary — to the more recent climate change laws."
Environmental review in California is notoriously laborious, and this is not the first legislative effort to help projects move through CEQA more easily.
There have also been questions about how well CEQA serves its original purpose; one study found that "unions, business trade associations, rival local government agencies, and even the building industry all use CEQA to gain leverage over some local political process."
Opposition groups say the bill goes "too far."
“For instance, a judge might find that a transportation project's environmental review didn't account for all the effects the development could have on air quality, but under AB 1905 that judge couldn't stop the project because of it, said David Pettit, a senior attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council. Without the threat of halting construction, agencies won't need to take seriously any subsequent demands to improve the air surrounding the project, he said.”

The Right to Mobility
As we consider how to decarbonize transportation, preserving mobility, especially for lower- and middle-income people, must be a priority.

Bend Eliminates Parking Minimums
The city is complying with an Oregon state mandate that some cities have challenged in court.

Scottsdale Cuts Water Supply to Nearby Suburb
The city claims it has no responsibility to provide water to the unincorporated Maricopa County community.

Utah Could Eliminate Parking Requirements Near Transit
A proposed state bill would bar cities from requiring parking in areas adjacent to transit stations in an effort to make housing production more affordable and encourage walking and transit use.

Where Pandemic Bike Improvements Won Out
While some cities are reverting back to pre-pandemic street configurations, others are taking advantage of the momentum for bike and pedestrian infrastructure to make pandemic-era projects permanent.

Atlanta Transit Plans Stall Due to Budget Concerns
With MARTA facing a potential billion dollar shortfall, the agency says it can’t fulfill its system expansion plan.
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