The Sites Reservoir Project this week became the first infrastructure proposal to benefit from Gov. Gavin Newsom’s bill on streamlining judicial reviews.
According to the project authority, Senate Bill 149 will trim months—or even years—off of litigation delays. It gives courts a 270-day deadline to decide on any environmental challenges to the project now that it has finalized an environmental impact review.
Fritz Durst, chairman of the authority, said the proposal has gone through “a rigorous environmental review process” and will help the state meet key climate goals. Newsom said Sites will address some of the state’s biggest challenges faster and build resilience against droughts.
It’s easy to be “in the know” about what’s happening in Washington, D.C. Sign up for a FREE month of Agri-Pulse news! Simply click here.
But the Sierra Club of California blasted the SB 149 certification and said the administration should have waited until the State Water Resources Control Board issues new environmental protections under an update to its Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan.
Erin Woolley, the association’s senior policy strategist, pointed out that the Joint Legislative Budget Committee has 30 days to concur in the governor’s SB 149 recommendation “or prevent this project from being inappropriately streamlined.”
