{"slug": "endorsement-yes-on-prop-45-to-reform-ceqa", "title": "Endorsement: Yes on Prop. 45 to reform CEQA", "summary": "The San Diego Union-Tribune editorial board endorses California's Proposition 45, a ballot measure developed by the California Chamber of Commerce to reform the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), arguing it will streamline approvals for essential projects like housing and clean energy without gutting environmental protections. The measure would impose one-year deadlines for Environmental Impact Reports, limit lawsuits to the challenged project portion, and reduce agency discretion, with the Legislative Analyst's Office estimating compliance costs in the \"high tens of millions of dollars.", "body_md": "**Getting your**\n\n[Trinity Audio](//trinityaudio.ai)player ready...\nPolitical leaders on both sides of California’s political spectrum have for years argued the “landmark” [California Environmental Quality Act](https://oag.ca.gov/environment/ceqa) has become a well-intentioned mess that delays and halts necessary projects. Each year, lawmakers carve out narrow CEQA exemptions to jumpstart housing and other projects, but the law remains the main impediment to construction.\n\nSerious reformers call for a far-reaching reform rather than a piecemeal approach where the new exemptions always come with strings attached. California voters will finally have a chance to approve a broad revamping of CEQA if they approve [Proposition 45](https://yesonprop45.com/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=24230162147&gbraid=0AAAABERV53DPhse1uF6kJe9gSwNKQkjnn&gclid=Cj0KCQjwh4TVBhCWARIsAG0czmoolxoIXHVW50jx8Fg8UEWwoKIObh-uv0AC-B4mfP7yt_31Pl2Q8uoaAiL4EALw_wcB), which was developed by the California Chamber of Commerce.\n\nDespite claims by [opponents](https://www.noprop45ca.com/get-the-facts?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=24181535415&gbraid=0AAAABEh2tjegTvJRnKULDVxAsudB3h5RV&gclid=Cj0KCQjwh4TVBhCWARIsAG0czmqIH_J4cEgkiSg8QVsqgJGk_KtWNj31ICRl8y2ShzhVZ9KarZi3AT0aAqDyEALw_wcB), Prop. 45 does not gut a law that requires local agencies to assess the environmental impacts of major projects. Instead, it tweaks the law in sensible and fair-minded ways that provide quicker approval timelines, reduce meritless lawsuits and limit open-ended demands by local agencies.\n\nCEQA applies to any project that requires a discretionary approval. The agency often requires developers to provide an [Environmental Impact Report (EIR)](https://abundanthousingla.org/what-is-ceqa-why-it-needs-to-be-reformed-part-i/). CEQA allows virtually anyone to sue the approving agency by arguing the environmental analysis was inadequate. This comes on top of the myriad other local and state approvals.\n\nIt’s easy to see how this [open-ended process](https://www.hklaw.com/en/case-studies/getting-in-its-own-way-behind-californias-ceqa-curtain) is abused. Unions threaten lawsuits to secure wage concessions. Angry neighbors will do so, also. No-growth groups have mastered the art of delaying, stopping and adding costs to new projects. Nearly half of CEQA lawsuits are filed against public projects. The lawsuits often target environmentally friendly projects, infill housing and transit.\n\nProp. 45 streamlines CEQA for projects it deems “essential” — housing, water systems, clean energy, health facilities, fire and police stations, forest clearing, education facilities and many transportation projects. Per the [Legislative Analyst’s Office](https://lao.ca.gov/BallotAnalysis/Proposition?number=45&year=2026), it allows a developer to demand a hearing if an agency doesn’t meet its one-year EIR deadline. It requires agencies to specify all the information they need upfront rather than continually moving the goalposts.\n\nThe [initiative](https://lao.ca.gov/BallotAnalysis/Proposition?number=45&year=2026) stops agencies from constantly revising their review standards. It limits timeframes for public comments. It narrows court review so that lawsuits can only halt the part of the project under review rather than the entire project. It sets reasonable parameters on CEQA review rather than allowing the process to drag on for years.\n\n[“high tens of millions of dollars”](https://lao.ca.gov/BallotAnalysis/Proposition?number=45&year=2026)it will cost governments to comply with the rewritten rules, but every new regulation or revamping of an old one will require governments to spend money to implement the new procedures. It’s a small sum in the scheme of California budgets and could yield long-term fiscal benefits if it truly succeeds in streamlining more projects.\n\nOpponents also complain about a loss of [“local control,”](https://www.rstreet.org/commentary/local-control-is-a-fancy-term-for-big-government/) but CEQA is a state law and the locals have abused it to obstruct important projects. The initiative’s proper goal is to reduce red tape from all levels of government.\n\nSome opponents argue the state’s previous CEQA exemption laws already fix the problems, but that’s clearly not the case. Narrowly crafted CEQA exemptions have not resulted in significant new building because they don’t go far enough.\n\nWe suspect most opponents of Prop. 45 and CEQA reform in general simply don’t want to give up any tools for obstructing projects they don’t like. But after decades of them abusing CEQA for their own ends, it’s time to streamline the CEQA process.\n\nVote “yes” on Proposition 45.", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/endorsement-yes-on-prop-45-to-reform-ceqa", "canonical_source": "https://www.ocregister.com/2026/09/09/endorsement-yes-on-prop-45-to-reform-ceqa/", "published_at": "2026-09-09 18:25:48+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-09-09 18:40:44.258741+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["ai-policy"], "entities": ["California Chamber of Commerce", "California Environmental Quality Act", "Proposition 45", "Legislative Analyst's Office", "San Diego Union-Tribune"], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/endorsement-yes-on-prop-45-to-reform-ceqa", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/endorsement-yes-on-prop-45-to-reform-ceqa.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/endorsement-yes-on-prop-45-to-reform-ceqa.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/endorsement-yes-on-prop-45-to-reform-ceqa.jsonld"}}