Log in or register
Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn

ARTICLE · 21 JUNE 2021

Senate Bill Extends And Expands CEQA Streamlining Process

Sheppard
Sheppard
Contributor
Sheppard

Sheppard

Businesses turn to Sheppard to deliver sophisticated counsel to help clients move ahead. With more...

View firm profile
Explore more from Sheppard

Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed into law Senate Bill (SB) 7, the "Housing + Jobs Expansion & Extension Act", which extends and expands California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)

United StatesEnvironment
Jack Rubens
Jack Rubens
Alison G. Martinez
Alison G. Martinez
Author LinkedIn connections

Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed into law Senate Bill (SB) 7, the "Housing + Jobs Expansion & Extension Act", which extends and expands California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) streamlining provisions. As previously discussed in our February blog post, " California Senate Returns Its Focus to Housing in 2021-2022 Legislative Session," SB 7 is the first bill from the Senate's "Building Opportunities for All" housing package to be signed and enacted this year. SB 7 extends through 2025 the streamlined CEQA administrative and judicial review procedures developed for Environmental Leadership Development Projects (ELDPs) under Assembly Bill (AB) 900 in 2011. AB 900 established a process to expedite legal challenges for large housing, clean energy, and manufacturing projects with a capital investment of at least $100 million. In an effort to increase housing and job opportunities in California, SB 7 expands streamlining eligibility to smaller affordable housing

We operate a free-to-view policy, asking only that you register in order to read all of our content. Please login or register to view the rest of this article.

Register for freeORLog in

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.

View source

Related Articles

Legal Intelligence Newsletters: sign up for the latest legal and regulatory news on your chosen topics

Read more about

Related Comparative Guides

See more popular content from

Article

Texas Governor Abbott Directs TCEQ To Freeze All Data Center Permits In A Whole-of-Government Action

Governor Greg Abbott has ordered the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to immediately halt all environmental permits for data center projects, expanding a statewide regulatory freeze that now encompasses power, water, and environmental approvals. This directive establishes strict operational mandates requiring data centers to fully fund infrastructure costs, report all resource consumption...
United StatesEnvironment
Foley & Lardner LLP
Foley & Lardner LLP
Article

Governor Abbott Orders TCEQ To Pause All Permit Issuance For Data Center Projects

Governor Abbott has ordered Texas environmental regulators to halt all data center permit issuance until grid operators complete a comprehensive audit in mid-December 2026. The sweeping directive affects not only grid-connected facilities but also fully islanded data centers relying on behind-the-meter generation, creating uncertainty for developers and their contractual obligations.
United StatesEnvironment
Bracewell LLP
Bracewell LLP
Article

California SB 253: CARB Sets Nov. 10, 2026, Deadline For Scope 1 And Scope 2 Emissions Reports

California's Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act (SB 253) establishes a November 10, 2026 deadline for Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions reporting, affecting U.S.-formed entities with over $1 billion in revenue that meet California's "doing business" test—regardless of physical presence in the state. The law carries penalties up to $500,000 per reporting year for non-compliance, with mandatory program fees and future Scope 3 reporting requirements on the horizon.
United StatesEnvironment
Greenberg Traurig
Greenberg Traurig
Article

Texas Governor Directs A Halt On Data Center Permitting With State Agency Audits

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has directed state agencies to halt all data center permits until comprehensive audits assess the projects' impacts on electric infrastructure, residential ratepayers, and water resources. The directive requires data centers to fully fund necessary electric infrastructure and comply with enhanced reporting requirements, while the governor signals potential legislative action to codify new protections and phase out certain tax incentives.
United StatesEnvironment
Greenberg Traurig
Greenberg Traurig
Article

Governor Signs Seven Data Center Bills Addressing Energy And Noise Reporting, Water Use, Labor Standards, Electricity Rates, And CEQA Review

California has enacted seven unprecedented bills targeting data center development, imposing sweeping new requirements for energy reporting, water consumption assessments, labor standards, and electricity rate structures. These laws fundamentally reshape the regulatory landscape for data centers, requiring detailed disclosures at multiple project stages while prohibiting categorical CEQA exemptions and establishing new interconnection rules that shift infrastructure costs directly to developers.
United StatesEnvironment
Cox, Castle & Nicholson
Cox, Castle & Nicholson
Article

The Chemical Compound — Q3 2026

This quarterly newsletter examines critical developments in chemical regulatory law, covering litigation outcomes that reshape EPA's authority under TSCA, landmark Supreme Court decisions on pesticide labeling preemption, and emerging state and international frameworks governing PFAS and other chemicals of concern. The edition analyzes how recent Fifth Circuit rulings on methylene chloride regulations may fundamentally alter EPA's approach to risk evaluations and management rules across its entire existing
United StatesEnvironment
Arnold & Porter
Arnold & Porter
Article

CEQA Reform Qualifies For The Ballot: What To Know About The Building An Affordable California Act

California voters will decide on Proposition 45 this November, a sweeping initiative that would fundamentally reshape environmental review for housing, infrastructure, and other essential projects across the state. The Building an Affordable California Act promises faster approvals and limited judicial challenges, but faces organized opposition from labor unions and environmental groups. Will this measure succeed in streamlining development, or does it go too far in curtailing environmental protections?
United StatesEnvironment
Rutan & Tucker LLP
Rutan & Tucker LLP
Article

New EU PFHxA Limits Take Effect Amid Expanding PFAS Rules For Apparel And Textiles

Beginning October 10, 2026, the European Union will restrict certain concentrations of PFHxA and related substances in clothing and footwear, marking a significant expansion of PFAS regulations affecting the apparel and textile industry. Companies face a complex patchwork of requirements as France, Denmark, and multiple U.S. states implement their own PFAS restrictions with varying scopes, thresholds, and compliance approaches. Navigating these divergent regulations requires careful supply chain evaluation
European UnionEnvironment
Beveridge & Diamond, P.C.
Beveridge & Diamond, P.C.
Article

FDA Balances Peptide Policy With Enforcement Against Unlawful Peptide Sellers

Over the past year, industry has had a front row seat as the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA” or the “Agency”) decides just how much leeway it wants to afford the manufacture, marketing, and sale of peptide products, and just where it wants to draw the line. Despite the recent decision of FDA’s Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee (“PCAC”) to recommend a number of peptides for inclusion on the 503A bulks list process — a move that represents a potentially more permissive stance toward peptide regulation, at least in terms of what can and cannot be compounded under 503A...
United StatesFood, Drugs, Healthcare, Life Sciences
Sheppard
Sheppard
Article

OCC Issues Examiner Framework For Banks’ Use Of Artificial Intelligence

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has released a new framework for evaluating banks' deployment of artificial intelligence and agentic AI systems in their business operations. This guidance establishes how examiners will assess AI through existing risk management disciplines rather than creating separate regulatory requirements, with review intensity scaled to each use case's potential consequences and level of human oversight.
United StatesFinance and Banking
Sheppard
Sheppard
Article

Massachusetts Issues Guidance On Data Center Development Under Executive Order 658

Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey has issued Executive Order 658, establishing comprehensive permitting and regulatory standards for data centers exceeding 25 MW of peak electricity demand. The Order mandates community benefits agreements, clean energy procurement protocols, and coordination across multiple state agencies to ensure responsible development that protects ratepayers, communities, and the environment. This action positions Massachusetts alongside other states implementing stricter oversight o
United StatesEnergy and Natural Resources
Sheppard
Sheppard
Article

The Ninth Circuit Affirms Dismissal Of DMCA CMI Removal Claim Against AI Code Generator – Output Is A New Work Not A Copy Of Training Data

There was a significant ruling in the Doe v. Github case involving training of AI code generator models on open source. The United States Court of Appeals for The Ninth Circuit affirmed the district court ruling dismissing part of an action brought under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (“DMCA”) by programmers against GitHub, Inc., and other defendants. The issues centered on whether defendants removed copyright management information (CMI) from content used to train the AI code generator models.
United StatesIntellectual Property
Sheppard
Sheppard