State high court says regional entity has discretion in environmental analysis

[Source: CalChamber] In a narrowly drafted ruling, the California Supreme Court upheld a regional government body’s discretion regarding the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions analysis it included in the environmental impact report (EIR) under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) for its regional transportation plan. While the court emphasized that its decision was “not a general Read More…

How good environmental legislation goes wrong

[Source: Los Angels Times Op-Ed] The California Environmental Quality Act is a valuable protector of this state’s resources. It guides planning by forcing agencies to consider the environmental implications of proposed projects. CEQA is also a woefully blunt instrument that thwarts economic growth and, perversely, can actually harm the environment. That’s exactly what’s happening with Read More…