Dan Walters | California Lawmakers Finally Achieve ‘Holy Grail’ Reform of State’s Key Environmental Law

With environmental regulatory reform, California Gov. Gavin Newsom finally does something substantial

Without Newsom's efforts, major reforms to California's stifling environmental laws would have died on the vine.

DAN WALTERS: California lawmakers finally achieve ‘holy grail’ reform of state’s key environmental law

Jerry Brown once described reform of the California Environmental Quality Act as “the lord’s work” but he, like other recent governors, was not willing to invest enough political capital to change it.

Blind Squirrels in Sacramento – California Globe

An old saying holds that even a blind squirrel finds an acorn occasionally. We see that adage playing out in Sacramento, a town overrun by the blind squirrels who currently sit atop our state government. In short, and much to the surprise of people around California with common sense, the governor and legislature have done a few good things recently. Exhibit One is the effort to reform CEQA which recently passed the legislature at the urging of …

California lawmakers finally achieve 'holy grail' of CEQA reform

New legislation exempts virtually all infill housing projects from CEQA’s provisions, making it more difficult for opponents of high-density housing projects to block approval.

California lawmakers finally achieve ‘holy grail’ reform of state’s key environmental law

Dan Walters Commentary: Jerry Brown once described reform of the California Environmental Quality Act as “the lord’s work” but he, like other recent governors, was not willing to invest enough political capital to change it.

Dan Walters | California lawmakers finally achieve ‘holy grail’ reform of state’s key environmental law

The social and economic costs of leaving CEQA intact became too high. With Gavin Newsom nearing the end of his governorship, he decided to confront the issue squarely.