Bill > SB676

This bill addresses environmental review processes for projects in areas damaged by wildfires by adding new provisions to California's Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Specifically, for projects located in geographic areas that have been damaged by a fire and for which the Governor declared a state of emergency on or after January 1, 2023, the bill requires lead agencies to prepare the record of proceedings concurrently with the administrative process. The bill mandates that any legal actions challenging the environmental impact report or project approvals must be resolved within 270 calendar days, to the extent feasible, and requires the Judicial Council to adopt rules to implement this expedited review process. To be eligible for this streamlined review, projects must be consistent with existing zoning and land use ordinances and must be proposed before the state of emergency is rescinded. The bill is designed to help accelerate environmental review and project approvals in fire-damaged areas, potentially facilitating faster rebuilding and recovery efforts. Importantly, the bill does not apply to projects that would otherwise be exempt from CEQA review and includes provisions ensuring that local agencies have the financial means to implement these new requirements.

Agriculture and Natural Resources, Budget and Finance, Justice

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB676