BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) A ballot measure backed by the California Chamber of Commerce is aiming to change how environmental reviews are handled in California, setting up a debate over whether it would speed up needed construction or saddle taxpayers with new costs.
Proposition 45 was put on the ballot by the California Chamber of Commerce to modify the California Environmental Quality Act, known as CEQA.
California Chamber backs Prop 45 to modify CEQA, citing rising costs (KBAK/KBFX)
Political analyst Matt Klink described it as “a measure that was put on the ballot by the California Chamber of Commerce that provides modification to something called the California Environment Quality Act, or CEQA.”
The California Chamber of Commerce said CEQA has driven up costs in the state.
Jennifer Barrera, president and CEO of the California Chamber of Commerce, said, “Legislature has spent decades addressing CEQA around the edges. With narrow exemptions and one-off fixes for individual projects that has not delivered the comprehensive reform that California needs in order to drive down our costs.”
Barrera said Proposition 45 would reduce delays in building by imposing deadlines.
“Prop 45 is about making California more affordable by cutting unnecessary delays and setting firm deadlines to deliver the essential projects our community needs. Time is money,” Barrera said.
California Chamber backs Prop 45 to modify CEQA, citing rising costs (Photo by Charlie Neibergall/Getty Images)
Opponents argue the measure could be expensive for taxpayers.
Alma Martinez of the Center on Race Poverty and Environment said, “The nonpartisan Legislative Analyst Office says that Prop 45 could cost taxpayers as much as one hundred million dollars a year.”
California Chamber backs Prop 45 to modify CEQA, citing rising costs (KBAK/KBFX)
Martinez also said the measure would speed approval for projects she described as polluting. “It’s about fast-tracking data centers, landfills, gas facilities, dairy biogas facilities. All polluting facilities that are already under pollution burden,” Martinez said.