California Department of Fish and Wildlife Annual Adjustments -
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife announced an increase in filing fees for all California Environmental Quality Act Notices of Determination...more
Significant Changes Begin Nov. 3 -
The California Office of Planning and Research, State Clearinghouse Unit, has adopted new rules for accepting environmental documents for posting. Beginning Nov. 3, OPR will no longer...more
Guidance Brings Heightened Scrutiny -
The California Department of Transportation recently released “Interim Land Development and Intergovernmental Review (LDIGR) Caltrans Safety Review Practitioners Guidance.” It...more
Public Comments Due March 10 -
The White House Council on Environmental Quality issued a proposal to significantly overhaul, for the first time in 40 years, the regulations for implementing the National Environmental...more
1/31/2020
/ Categorical Exclusions ,
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Regulatory Standards ,
Rulemaking Process ,
Trump Administration
A Change in Methodology Will be Required Statewide July 1 -
Although a paradigm shift for analyzing transportation impacts under the California Environmental Quality Act has been approaching ever since Senate Bill 743...more
Telecommunications -
AB 1699 Telecommunications: mobile Internet service providers: first response agencies: emergencies -
Fire officials experienced a significant data transmission slowdown of their mobile emergency...more
1/13/2020
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Stormwater Discharge Permits ,
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Threshold Requirements ,
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Wastewater ,
Water Management ,
Water Rights ,
Wildfires
California Department of Fish and Wildlife Annual Adjustments -
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife announced an increase in filing fees for all California Environmental Quality Act Notices of Determination...more
12/11/2019
/ CEQA ,
Construction Industry ,
Environmental Impact Report (EIR) ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Review ,
Filing Fees ,
Notice of Determination (NODs) ,
Property Owners ,
Real Estate Development ,
State and Local Government ,
State Department of Fish and Wildlife ,
Urban Planning & Development
Union of Medical Marijuana Patients, Inc. v. City of San Diego -
In a long-awaited decision, the California Supreme Court held this week that whether an activity is a “project” subject to environmental review under the...more
8/22/2019
/ CA Supreme Court ,
CEQA ,
Dispensaries ,
Environmental Liability ,
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Marijuana ,
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Medical Marijuana ,
Municipalities ,
Public Agencies ,
Retail Market ,
State and Local Government ,
Zoning Laws
Businesses seeking discretionary approvals or development permits are often subject to the California Environmental Quality Act. CEQA, the state’s environmental protection law, requires California public agencies to analyze...more
Following several years of public involvement, the California Natural Resources Agency approved a Comprehensive Update to the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines....more
In a highly anticipated decision, the California Supreme Court found in Sierra Club v. County of Fresno that the environmental impact report was inadequate because it failed to sufficiently connect the project’s air quality...more
Housing and Land Use and Environmental Laws Saw Changes in 2019 -
The California Legislature passed a number of laws last year that will have a significant impact on how public agencies — including cities and counties,...more
1/11/2019
/ Affordable Housing ,
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Mobile Homes ,
New Legislation ,
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Public Contracts ,
Real Estate Development ,
State and Local Government ,
State Funding ,
Water Management
While California’s drought state-of-emergency has been lifted, legal battles aimed at limiting groundwater extractions linger....more
This BB&K webinar provides a brief review of the latest developments in CEQA compliance. This webinar addresses both new CEQA statutory and regulatory requirements, and also discusses recent case law interpretations affecting...more
6/22/2018
/ Air Quality Standards ,
CEQA ,
Entitlements ,
Environmental Impact Report (EIR) ,
Environmental Litigation ,
Exemptions ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Mitigated Negative Declaration ,
Oil & Gas ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Special Districts ,
Statutory Requirements ,
Transportation Industry ,
Water ,
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Wildfires
Changes to the California Environmental Quality Act are on the horizon.
According to the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research, the changes “consist of refinements and clarifications of existing requirements.” Several...more
Effective Jan. 1, filing fees by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife will increase for all CEQA Notices of Determination filed on or after that day, as shown below....more
Following several years of public involvement, the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research has just issued comprehensive Proposed Updates to the CEQA Guidelines. In addition to proposing changes or additions to nearly 30...more
In a move that could have significant implications for Los Angeles’ efforts to prepare for the 2028 Olympics, California lawmakers recently introduced key legislation that would expedite California Environmental Quality Act...more
For the second time, a judge has sided with Best Best & Krieger LLP environmental attorneys in a dispute over a freeway infrastructure project in Riverside County. A CEQA challenge to the project was dismissed by a Riverside...more
In a highly anticipated decision, Cleveland National Forest Foundation v. San Diego Association of Governments, the California Supreme Court held recently that an environmental impact report for a regional transportation plan...more
7/18/2017
/ CA Supreme Court ,
CEQA ,
Climate Change ,
Environmental Impact Report (EIR) ,
Executive Orders ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Jerry Brown ,
Public Agencies ,
Regulatory Standards ,
San Diego Assoc of Governments (SANDAG) ,
Transportation Industry
The scientific community largely accepts that the climate is changing, and that there is a “greater than 95 percent” chance that we are the cause. In late 2015, nations around the world gathered in Paris to attempt to combat...more
6/30/2017
/ Carbon Emissions ,
CEQA ,
Climate Change ,
Energy & Climate Debates ,
Energy Policy ,
Energy Sector ,
Environmental Policies ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Local Ordinance ,
Paris Agreement ,
Trump Administration
The California Department of Food and Agriculture recently released its CalCannabis Cultivation Licensing Draft Program Environmental Impact Report. The intent of the PEIR is to conduct environmental review of the regulations...more
Best Best & Krieger LLP environmental attorneys successfully defended a freeway infrastructure project in Riverside County from a series of challenges brought under the National Environmental Policy Act. Partners Michelle...more
Filing fees are being increased by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for all California Environmental Quality Act Notices of Determination filed on or after Jan. 1.
As was the case in 2016, no DFW fee will...more
Substantial Evidence Proving “Exacerbation” Required, California Appellate Court Says -
A significant decision interpreting the scope of the California Supreme Court’s ruling in California Building Industry Association...more