Region: California
What does BACA do? Part II
Proposed CEQA ballot initiative would override all other state environmental law.
This is a second in a series of blog posts on the California Chamber of Commerce’s proposed ballot initiative amending the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The first blog post is here. The CEQA initiative proposed by the California Chamber of Commerce has some reassuring words about its nature and scope. First, proposed new Section …
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CONTINUE READINGDissecting EPA’s Endangerment Repeal: Series Wrap-Up:
Here’s what you need to know to understand the upcoming legal battles.
Yesterday was the last of five Legal Planet posts on EPA’s repeal of the Endangerment Finding, which it based on legal arguments that it has no power to regulate vehicle emissions of greenhouse gases. The series began with a quick overview of the issues. The remaining posts focus on the reasons that EPA was right to issue the Endangerment Finding in the first place in 2009, the legal precedents supporting the Endangerment Finding. and the impact of the repeal on future climate actions. The bottom line is that EPA was right to issue the Endangerment Finding and wrong to repeal it.
CONTINUE READINGWhat does the Building an Affordable California Act do?
Proposed ballot initiative from Cal Chamber of Commerce to change CEQA could have broad implications.
The California Chamber of Commerce is currently collecting signatures for an initiative that would substantially change the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Given the Chamber’s resources, I think it’s likely they will get enough signatures to qualify the initiative, which means either the legislature cuts a deal with the Chamber to enact legislation and take …
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CONTINUE READINGWhat Happens to State Regulation if the Endangerment Findings are Gone?
Answer: State authority wouldn’t suffer from the change and might expand in some ways.
If the Trump EPA successfully repeals the endangerment findings for vehicles and stationary sources, states will be the only resort for climate regulation. A key question is how the repeals would impact state power to regulate carbon emissions. The bottom line answers are: (1) the impact on state power regulate tailpipe emissions seems unclear but could be positive, (2) there would be no effect on state power to regulate stationary sources like power plants, and (3) plaintiffs suing oil companies would probably benefit. The detailed analysis is below.
CONTINUE READINGA.I. Pollution in the Air — and the Public Comments
The Drain is a weekly roundup of environmental and climate news from Legal Planet.
Artificial intelligence has already replaced some artists, translators, and podcast hosts. Now it’s coming for… concerned citizens? That’s right. AI-assisted campaigns have started flooding the inbox of government agencies that seek to engage with the public. Do you remember last June when the South Coast Air Quality Management District Board killed two common sense clean …
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CONTINUE READINGRecapping “Our Climate Future”: A California Gubernatorial Candidate Forum
How four top candidates plan to tackle affordability, environmental justice, and clean energy and continue California’s leadership
Californians will elect a new governor in November. The race presents state voters with a wider variety of potential outcomes for climate policy–from increased ambition to continuity to changed priorities–than any election since 2010. To help voters understand where the candidates stand on our most pressing environmental challenges, the Center for Law, Energy, and the …
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CONTINUE READINGWhere and What Are the Most Affordable New California Homes?
New CLEE Policy Brief Finds Major Cost Savings With Infill Homes
No issue defines both the affordability and climate challenge in California more than housing. High housing prices have pushed many prospective homebuyers to what some consider to be “affordable” outlying locations far from jobs and services, necessitating expensive commutes, and often in areas of heightened climate risk. As policy makers seek to stabilize housing prices …
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CONTINUE READINGMaintaining California’s Environmental Leadership
California’s 2026 Gubernatorial Race
California will elect a new governor in 2026. The primary is June 2 and the top two candidates will face off on November 3. If you are in California, make sure you are registered to vote! This election comes as a pivotal time for California’s environmental leadership. California’s next governor must be ready to step …
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CONTINUE READINGOne Year of Energy Emergencies
The Drain is a weekly roundup of environmental and climate news from Legal Planet.
This past Tuesday — on the one-year anniversary of Donald Trump taking office and immediately declaring a national energy emergency — the new governor of New Jersey took office and immediately declared a state energy emergency. But these two approaches to executive action on energy couldn’t be more different and the results will help define …
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CONTINUE READINGAlejandro Camacho Joins UCLA Law Faculty
Camacho will be a core faculty member of the UCLA Emmett Institute and a contributor to Legal Planet.
At this critical moment in environmental law, the Emmett Institute at UCLA School of Law keeps growing stronger. We are pleased to welcome Alejandro Camacho, a renowned regulatory scholar, as a professor of law. Camacho will be a core faculty member of the Emmett Institute on Climate Change and the Environment and a faculty affiliate of …
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