"Former Gov. Jerry Brown once referred to overhauling the California Environmental Quality Act as the Lord's work because, he said, it made building much-needed things housing, transportation improvements, water storage, etc. too difficult and too expensive. In 2018, as he neared the end of his second stint as governor, Brown vetoed a bill that would have prevented developers from circumventing CEQA's laborious provisions by persuading local voters to directly approve projects."
"Instead of the piecemeal approach taken in this bill, I prefer a more comprehensive CEQA review, which takes into account both the urgent need for more housing and thoughtful environmental analysis, Brown said in vetoing the bill. However during his 16 years in the governorship, Brown did virtually nothing to make the fundamental changes he said were needed. CEQA reform was in a political stalemate and, without that comprehensive review, governors and legislators have been dealing with the law's impacts on a case-by-case basis."
Former Gov. Jerry Brown described overhauling the California Environmental Quality Act as necessary because it made building housing, transportation improvements, and water storage too difficult and expensive. In 2018 Brown vetoed a bill intended to stop developers from using local voter approval to circumvent CEQA. Brown expressed a preference for a comprehensive CEQA review balancing urgent housing needs with environmental analysis but took little action during his long governorship. CEQA reform remained politically stalemated, producing case-by-case handling and exemptions for projects with powerful backing. Under Gov. Gavin Newsom the housing shortage elevated CEQA into a central, contentious policy issue.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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