Environmental Impact Report

Aerial view of freeway crossing river in Sacramento, California with colorful sunset sky in background.

Tollways for Sacramento?

Road pricing terminology can be confusing, particularly since Californians see so little of it. For example, a Sacramento TV station calls proposed express lanes on Interstate 80 from Solano County to Sacramento a ‘tollway.’

November 20, 2023 - KCRA

Aerial view at dusk of UC Berkeley campus with tall tower in foreground and San Francisco Bay in the background

Opinion: How California’s Environmental Law Empowers NIMBYs

Critics of a new provision calling “social noise” an environmental impact say the law can too easily be co-opted by anti-housing groups to block new development.

March 27, 2023 - Los Angeles Times

Aerial view of large store with parking and houses with beach in background in Rancho Penasquitos, California

San Diego-Area EIR Ruling Could Slow Development

A court ruling that calls for environmental impact reviews to account for adjacent developments could significantly affect how government agencies and developers approach projects.

February 9, 2023 - The San Diego Union-Tribune

High-Speed Rail

California High-Speed Rail Recommits to Bakersfield-to-Merced Segment

The California High-Speed Rail Authority also certified the Final Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement for the San Francisco to San Jose section of the route in August.

August 31, 2022 - California Globe

A picture of two street signs with the Hollywood Burbank and hills int he background.

Airport's Lawsuit Could Stop California High Speed Rail in its Tracks

The Hollywood Burbank Airport has done what no one in the Los Angeles area had dared to do: sue the California High Speed Rail project.

March 9, 2022 - Los Angeles Times

Students passing through the historic Sather Gate on the University of California, Berkeley campus.

Without New Environmental Impact Report, UC Berkeley Will Enroll Thousands Fewer Students

A high-profile example of the power of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) might cause thousands of students to miss out on a chance to attend the University of California, Berkeley.

February 15, 2022 - Berkeleyside

Students passing through the historic Sather Gate on the University of California, Berkeley campus.

Judge Caps Enrollment at UC Berkeley Pending Environmental Impact Report

An Alameda County judge dealt a stunning rebuke of a plan to expand the campus of the University of California, Berkeley, with housing and new space for the Goodman School of Public Policy.

August 30, 2021 - Berkeleyside

Southern California Flower Market, Google Street View

Lawsuit Puts Downtown L.A. Flower Market Development on Hold

A planned development would preserve Los Angeles's historic wholesale flower market within a 12-story mixed-use high-rise.

July 14, 2021 - Urbanize LA

Tejon Ranch

Massive Tejon Ranch Development Paused; Judge Cites Wildfire, Greenhouse Gas Emissions

In the works since 1999, the Centennial Project by Tejon Ranch Co. seemed to have cleared its final hurdle in 2018, but a Los Angeles County court ruling has created another hurdle for the sprawling development.

April 11, 2021 - Los Angeles Times

View south along Interstate 45 (North Freeway) from the ramp between westbound Interstate 10 and southbound Interstate 45 in Houston, Harris County, Texas

TxDOT Faces Lawsuit from Harris County Over I-45 Plan

The lawsuit over the controversial I-45 project, which has been plagued by local opposition, calls for a new environmental review.

March 15, 2021 - Houston Chronicle

Light Rail Transit Rendering

Environmental Review for Light Rail Through The Valley Approved

The B Line subway includes two stops in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles, but other than that, commuter rail and buses are the only options for transit. New light rail plans could change that.

December 7, 2020 - The Source

High Speed Rail California

New Environmental Analysis for High-Speed Rail from San Francisco to San Jose

Issues of track blending and electrification factor heavily in the latest environmental impact report and environmental impact statement released last week for the California High-Speed Rail project.

July 13, 2020 - California High-Speed Rail Authority

Public is Receptive to Plans for Express Lanes on Hwy 101 in Bay Area

Caltrans hopes to build two 14-mile high-occupancy toll lanes on Hwy 101 in San Mateo County, one of the region's most congested corridors that lacks carpool lanes. The $534 million project would begin construction in 2019.

December 16, 2017 - The Daily Journal

Court Ruling Sides With Regional Officials Over Statewide Climate Goals

The California Supreme Court sided with the San Diego Association of Governments on July 13 in the first court case to decide how regional planning agencies must meet state-required reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from transportation.

July 17, 2017 - The San Diego Union-Tribune

More Details of Bus Rapid Transit's Expanding Reach in San Francisco

The Geary bus corridor was the #1 pick for a subway according to a Muni survey, but commuters will have to settle for bus rapid transit. A milestone was reached when the San Francisco County Transportation Authority approved the design and EIR.

January 9, 2017 - SF Gate

No Luxury Condos

San Francisco Rejects Environmental Review for Lack of Gentrification Analysis

In what could be a first, but potential not a last, the power of the California Environmental Quality Act was invoked in San Francisco with regard to concerns about gentrification.

December 7, 2016 - San Francisco Chronicle

Boston T

Plan Released for South Station Rail and Bus Terminal Expansion in Boston

A proposed expansion project is intended to expand passenger rail capacity around the Boston area.

July 13, 2016 - Progressive Railroading

CA Court of Appeals: Some Projects Require 'Urban Decay' Mitigation

When a new shopping center may leave existing retail areas short of business, a California court has ruled that mitigations of "urban decay" must be spelled out up front.

April 16, 2014 - California Planning & Development Report

Huge San Francisco Redevelopment Project Underway

It's the largest redevelopment project since the great earthquake of 1906: 702 acres, 10,500 residential units, a shipyard brownfield cleanup, and a new stadium (hopefully) for the 49ers. The Environmental Impact Report has just been released.

November 19, 2009 - San Francisco Chronicle

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

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A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.