flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

Calif. bill would speed up environmental lawsuits on certain projects

Legislation

Calif. bill would speed up environmental lawsuits on certain projects

A nine-month limit has been proposed for some $100 million-plus projects.


By Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor | August 10, 2016

Pixabay Public Domain

A bill in the California Assembly would force any environmental lawsuit against certain projects to conclude within nine months.

The bill would apply to projects valued at $100 million or more. In order to qualify for the nine-month lawsuit restriction, a project would also have to provide for higher wages for construction workers and meet targets for greenhouse gas emissions and renewable energy.

The bill’s proponents believe it would speed up certain megaprojects by three years. The bill does not shield projects from the California Environmental Quality Act, but it allows such lawsuits to move through the courts faster.

To become law, the bill must pass before the end of the legislative session in August.

Related Stories

Urban Planning | Jul 24, 2023

New York’s new ‘czar of public space’ ramps up pedestrian and bike-friendly projects

Having made considerable strides to make streets more accessible to pedestrians and bikers in recent years, New York City is continuing to build on that momentum. Ya-Ting Liu, the city’s first public realm officer, is shepherding $375 million in funding earmarked for projects intended to make the city more environmentally friendly and boost quality of life.

Affordable Housing | Jun 27, 2023

Racial bias concerns prompt lawmakers to ask HUD to ban biometric surveillance, including facial recognition

Two members of the U.S. House of Representative have asked the Department of Housing and Urban Development to end the use of biometric technology, including facial recognition, for surveillance purposes in public housing. 

Mixed-Use | Jun 6, 2023

Public-private partnerships crucial to central business district revitalization

Central Business Districts are under pressure to keep themselves relevant as they face competition from new, vibrant mixed-use neighborhoods emerging across the world’s largest cities.

Multifamily Housing | Jun 6, 2023

Minnesota expected to adopt building code that would cut energy use by 80%

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is expected to soon sign a bill that would change the state’s commercial building code so that new structures would use 80% less energy when compared to a 2004 baseline standard. The legislation aims for full implementation of the new code by 2036.

Codes and Standards | Jun 2, 2023

Supreme Court drastically reduces wetland areas impacted by Clean Water Act

A recent Supreme Court decision that substantially narrowed the Environmental Protection Agency’s authority to regulate millions of acres of wetlands is expected to open more land for development. More than half of the nation’s wetlands could lose protection under the Clean Water Act, according to environmentalists and legal analysts.

Affordable Housing | May 17, 2023

Affordable housing advocates push for community-owned homes over investment properties

Panelists participating in a recent webinar hosted by the Urban Institute discussed various actions that could help alleviate the nation’s affordable housing crisis. Among the possible remedies: inclusionary zoning policies, various reforms to increase local affordable housing stock, and fees on new development to offset the impact on public infrastructure.

Multifamily Housing | May 16, 2023

Legislators aim to make office-to-housing conversions easier

Lawmakers around the country are looking for ways to spur conversions of office space to residential use.cSuch projects come with challenges such as inadequate plumbing, not enough exterior-facing windows, and footprints that don’t easily lend themselves to residential use. These conditions raise the cost for developers.

Regulations | May 8, 2023

Supreme Court case likely to have huge impact on Clean Water Act

A case before the Supreme Court will likely determine how the Clean Water Act is interpreted and the ruling could open up new areas for development within or adjacent to wetlands.

Office Buildings | May 1, 2023

Office building owners face potential legal liabilities when adding new workplace amenities

Many landlords in the war for tenants have turned to offering new amenities such as conference room services, fitness centers with nutritionists, and high-end food and beverage offerings. To provide new services, landlords often engage with third-party vendors, which can present thorny legal liability.

Codes and Standards | Apr 21, 2023

Federal court overturns first natural gas ban in the U.S.

A recent ruling by the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco invalidating Berkeley, California’s ban on natural gas within new building construction puts similar measures adopted around the country in legal jeopardy.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category




halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021