California’s CEQA Reforms Offer Narrow Exemptions — With One Powerful Exception
The California legislature recently passed SB 131 and AB 130, two bills designed to streamline environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). While publicly touted as significant CEQA reform, the legal impact is more constrained, offering little relief for most industrial, commercial, or logistics-related development. SB 131 does, however, significantly expand the Governor’s discretionary power to designate certain large-scale private projects for streamlined CEQA treatment, offering potential opportunity for selected developers.
Environmental Groups Bring CEQA Challenges of CARB’s Amendments to the Low Carbon Fuel Standard
Earlier this week, two environmental groups sued the California Air Resources Board (“CARB”) for approving amendments (the “Amendments”) to the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (“LCFS”). CARB had voted to amend the LCFS on November 8, 2024, with the intent of lowering the carbon intensity of the fuel mix in California and encouraging the use of low-carbon transportation fuels. For more details on the LCFS Amendment changes, see Sidley’s Alert.
