California lawmakers roll back environmental law
California lawmakers passed a major rollback of the state’s environmental review law, CEQA, including a new exemption that allows advanced manufacturing plants to be built in industrial zones without undergoing environmental review. The law, pushed by Governor Newsom as part of a budget deal, also limits legal challenges and narrows the scope of reviews to speed up construction for certain project types. While builders applaud the move for cutting red tape, critics warn it weakens safeguards on environmental impacts like pollution and wildlife protection.
