California
It’s Not All CEQA’s Fault
Public process can actually be pretty important.
I first wrote a version of this post way back in July 2021, when Ezra Klein dropped a couple of lines knocking the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) into one of the op-eds The New York Times loves to perennially run about how California is actually the worst (I’m sorry it can’t be 80 degrees …
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CONTINUE READINGCLEE’s New Executive Director
Louise Bedsworth brings a unique depth of experience in environmental policy to the job.
I’m excited to announce that Louise Bedsworth is CLEE’s new Executive Director. It was no easy task to find the right person to run the center during such a crucial time for environmental and energy policy. Louise was previously the head of our land use program and a senior advisor to the California China Climate …
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CONTINUE READINGCalifornia Legislators Call for More Stringent Requirements for Oil and Gas
Students in UCLA’s California Environmental Legislation and Policy Clinic partner with State Senator Sydney Kamlager to draft letter to CalGEM on proposed public health rule
This post is co-authored by Julia Stein and Beth Kent. Neighborhood oil and gas extraction poses serious public health and environmental risks to communities across California – and campaigns by local advocates and political leaders over the last decade have pressed state agencies and local governments, including the City of Los Angeles and Los Angeles …
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CONTINUE READINGJason Gray Joins the Emmett Institute as Project Director, Governors’ Climate and Forests Task Force
Climate policy expert brings regulatory expertise to project focused on tropical deforestation and low-emissions development
This month, the Emmett Institute is excited to welcome climate policy expert Jason Gray as the newest member of our team. In his new role as Project Director of the Governors’ Climate and Forests Task Force, Jason will help direct a major sub-national coalition focused on reducing tropical deforestation and advancing inclusive, equitable, low-emissions development …
CONTINUE READINGCalifornia needs water law reform
Time to update 19th century law to meet 21st century reality
California’s water law was developed in the 19th century. It has not been comprehensively reformed since, despite substantial population growth, changing social values, and the appointment 45 years ago of a blue-ribbon commission to recommend changes. Now the “new normal” of the anthropocene promises reduced water availability coincident with increased demand. It is past time …
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CONTINUE READINGWhy CEQA is a Useful Tool for Environmental Justice Communities in California
A local environmental justice group’s victory in a recent California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) exemption case highlights the importance of CEQA for environmental justice communities in California. After the group, Cudahy Alliance for Justice, challenged the City of Cudahy’s approval of an elementary and middle school on a hazardous waste site, Los Angeles Superior Court …
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CONTINUE READINGDon’t Leave the Public Out of the Public Utilities Commission
California may have denied due process for those questioning PGE’s penalty for starting the Kincade Fire
The Sonoma County District Attorney has been pursuing criminal charges against the Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) for its role in sparking the 2019 Kincade fire, which reportedly destroyed 374 structures and led to over $600 million in damages. These criminal charges returned to the news today because the District Attorney has asked to …
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CONTINUE READINGSea Level Rise Legislation Gets Second Chance
Senator Ben Allen introduces SB 1078, drawing on vetoed SB 83 (2021)
This week, Senator Ben Allen introduced SB 1078, a bill that would create a Sea Level Rise Revolving Loan Pilot Program to help coastal cities plan proactively for the effects of climate change. The law draws heavily from the framework of SB 83, which students in the California Environmental Legislation and Policy Clinic worked on, …
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CONTINUE READINGMary Nichols’ new role at the Emmett Institute
This post is co-authored by Daniel Melling, communications manager at the Emmett Institute The New York Times reported last week that the Biden administration is preparing to restore California’s waiver to set greenhouse gas auto emissions standards stricter than the federal government’s rules. It’s the latest episode in a regulatory saga stretching back to the …
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CONTINUE READINGNew Report: How to Reduce Rail Transit Construction Costs and Timelines
New CLEE study recommends options for better project delivery in California and beyond + expert webinar January 27
A new study from the Center for Law, Energy and the Environment (CLEE) at UC Berkeley School of Law released today identifies the primary factors underlying cost and schedule overruns for rail transit construction and presents policy recommendations to overcome key barriers. Improving rail transit delivery is critical for meeting climate and equity goals, given …
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