SACRAMENTO (Los Angeles Times)-
Gov. Jerry Brown on Friday signed legislation easing environmental regulations for developments in California cities, including a new basketball arena in downtown Sacramento.
Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) introduced the bill primarily to smooth the way for construction of a new arena for the Sacramento Kings basketball team, but added changes to the California Environmental Quality Act that make it harder to sue to block projects in urban transit zones throughout the state.
“This modernization of CEQA is a win for the economy and a win for the environment,” Steinberg said when the bill was approved by the Legislature. “It will help us revitalize downtown urban areas statewide, promote transit-oriented growth, create thousands of well-paying jobs and make the process easier and less vulnerable to litigation for the kinds of projects we all want to see developed.”