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California's CEQA Reform Debate Intensifies with New Legislation and Litigation

Senate Bill 607 and recent court rulings highlight growing tensions over balancing environmental protections and development needs in California.

Land use attorney Robert Selna stands for a portrait outside a fenced off space across the West Oakland Bart station that was originally scheduled for housing construction in Oakland, California, on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. Selna is fighting against the use of CEQA, an environmental law that allows lawsuits to be brought against project development, preventing the state from building new housing. (Don Feria for Bay Area News Group)
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sunday, Jan. 12 signed an executive order suspending permitting and review requirements under the California Environmental Quality Act, also known as CEQA, and the California Coastal Act in order to speed rebuilding following the Los Angeles County wildfires. (File photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A new housing development is currently under construction in east Chula Vista, offering homes and apartments. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

Overview

  • Senate Bill 607 proposes narrowing CEQA's scope to expedite development projects, including housing and infrastructure, sparking concerns over reduced environmental oversight.
  • Governor Gavin Newsom recently waived CEQA and Coastal Act rules for wildfire recovery efforts, showcasing the law's regulatory flexibility in emergencies.
  • Critics across political lines argue CEQA and the Coastal Commission contribute to California's housing crisis by imposing costly procedural hurdles on development.
  • A settlement in the Otay Ranch Village 14 case reduced the project's footprint after a court found its environmental review inadequate on wildfire and habitat risks.
  • National deregulation advocates, including the 'Abundance' movement, are influencing California's CEQA debate by calling for streamlined processes to prioritize results over bureaucracy.