SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Governor Gavin Newsom unveiled a plan in May to overhaul the state’s environmental permitting process known as the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). He included it in his budget proposal.
The budget needed to pass in June.
“The process is always tough, and I recognize not necessarily always make it easy," said Newsom.
Some criticized the governor for the late proposal. It’s the reason why it took a while to come to an agreement with lawmakers on the budget.
Newsom was asked about his strategy of throwing big policy proposals in at the last minute.
“I don’t have that many summers left as governor, and I don't want to dream of regretting," said Newsom.
Some were concerned that this proposal would streamline a very controversial water project known as the delta tunnel. The governor agreed to take that out.
“I've got a team that's assembled directly to work on it. We're going to see that through,” Newsom added.
The final package was bipartisan.
“I’m tired of watching infrastructure projects like Sites Reservoir get tied up for years, while Californians are left to suffer the consequences. For years, Republicans have been trying to cut red tape that holds up these critical projects. I’m glad Gov. Newsom, and our Democrat colleagues have finally joined us," said Assembly Republican leader James Galagher in a statement.
The criticism Republicans had left was that the package did not include streamlined permitting for housing projects, which are also often held up because of CEQA, the California Environmental Quality Act.
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