SB-231
Energy & Environment

California Environmental Quality Act: the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation: technical advisory.

Introduced
CA
2025-2026 Regular Session
0
0
Track

Key Takeaways

  • Requires development of state guidelines for measuring greenhouse gas and noise pollution impacts by July 2027.
  • Establishes optional thresholds for local agencies to evaluate environmental impacts in urban and rural areas.
  • Mandates consideration of disadvantaged communities when setting environmental impact standards.
  • Requires public posting of environmental guidelines on the state website.

Summary

Senator Seyarto's environmental quality legislation directs California's Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation to develop standardized thresholds for assessing greenhouse gas and noise pollution impacts under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The office must consult with regional, local, state, and federal agencies to create these technical guidelines by July 1, 2027.

The technical advisory will establish suggested significance thresholds tailored to different areas across California, accounting for factors such as urban versus rural settings, air district boundaries, and designated disadvantaged communities identified through CalEnviroScreen. The guidelines will incorporate existing environmental frameworks, including the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 and the California Noise Control Act of 1973. Once developed, lead agencies conducting environmental reviews may choose to adopt these thresholds when evaluating project impacts.

Under current CEQA requirements, lead agencies must assess whether projects may cause significant environmental effects through environmental impact reports, negative declarations, or mitigated negative declarations. The Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation, which serves as the state's comprehensive planning agency, will post the completed technical advisory on its website to provide public access to these new evaluation guidelines.

Key Dates

Next Step
Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations
Next Step
Senate Committee
Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations
Hearing has not been scheduled yet
Senate Appropriations Hearing
Senate Committee
Senate Appropriations Hearing
Placed on suspense file
Senate Environmental Quality Hearing
Senate Committee
Senate Environmental Quality Hearing
Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]
Introduced
Senate Floor
Introduced
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Contacts

Profile
Anna CaballeroD
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Roger NielloR
Senator
Bill Author
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Tom LackeyR
Assemblymember
Bill Author
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Steven ChoiR
Senator
Bill Author
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Phillip ChenR
Assemblymember
Bill Author
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
0 of 14 row(s) selected.
Page 1 of 3
Select All Legislators
Profile
Anna CaballeroD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Roger NielloR
Senator
Bill Author
Profile
Tom LackeyR
Assemblymember
Bill Author
Profile
Steven ChoiR
Senator
Bill Author
Profile
Phillip ChenR
Assemblymember
Bill Author
Profile
Tim GraysonD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Megan DahleR
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Kelly SeyartoR
Senator
Bill Author
Profile
Rosilicie Ochoa BoghR
Senator
Bill Author
Profile
Juan AlanisR
Assemblymember
Bill Author
Profile
Aisha WahabD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Christopher CabaldonD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Laura RichardsonD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Suzette ValladaresR
Senator
Bill Author

Get Involved

Act Now!

Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.

Introduced By

Kelly Seyarto
Kelly SeyartoR
California State Senator
Co-Authors
Juan Alanis
Juan AlanisR
California State Assembly Member
Phillip Chen
Phillip ChenR
California State Assembly Member
Steven Choi
Steven ChoiR
California State Senator
Tom Lackey
Tom LackeyR
California State Assembly Member
Roger Niello
Roger NielloR
California State Senator
Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh
Rosilicie Ochoa BoghR
California State Senator
Suzette Valladares
Suzette ValladaresR
California State Senator
10% progression
Bill has been formally introduced and read for the first time in its house of origin (1/28/2025)

Latest Voting History

April 7, 2025
PASS
Senate Committee
Senate Appropriations Hearing
AyesNoesNVRTotalResult
7007PASS

Key Takeaways

  • Requires development of state guidelines for measuring greenhouse gas and noise pollution impacts by July 2027.
  • Establishes optional thresholds for local agencies to evaluate environmental impacts in urban and rural areas.
  • Mandates consideration of disadvantaged communities when setting environmental impact standards.
  • Requires public posting of environmental guidelines on the state website.

Get Involved

Act Now!

Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.

Introduced By

Kelly Seyarto
Kelly SeyartoR
California State Senator
Co-Authors
Juan Alanis
Juan AlanisR
California State Assembly Member
Phillip Chen
Phillip ChenR
California State Assembly Member
Steven Choi
Steven ChoiR
California State Senator
Tom Lackey
Tom LackeyR
California State Assembly Member
Roger Niello
Roger NielloR
California State Senator
Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh
Rosilicie Ochoa BoghR
California State Senator
Suzette Valladares
Suzette ValladaresR
California State Senator

Summary

Senator Seyarto's environmental quality legislation directs California's Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation to develop standardized thresholds for assessing greenhouse gas and noise pollution impacts under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The office must consult with regional, local, state, and federal agencies to create these technical guidelines by July 1, 2027.

The technical advisory will establish suggested significance thresholds tailored to different areas across California, accounting for factors such as urban versus rural settings, air district boundaries, and designated disadvantaged communities identified through CalEnviroScreen. The guidelines will incorporate existing environmental frameworks, including the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 and the California Noise Control Act of 1973. Once developed, lead agencies conducting environmental reviews may choose to adopt these thresholds when evaluating project impacts.

Under current CEQA requirements, lead agencies must assess whether projects may cause significant environmental effects through environmental impact reports, negative declarations, or mitigated negative declarations. The Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation, which serves as the state's comprehensive planning agency, will post the completed technical advisory on its website to provide public access to these new evaluation guidelines.

10% progression
Bill has been formally introduced and read for the first time in its house of origin (1/28/2025)

Key Dates

Next Step
Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations
Next Step
Senate Committee
Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations
Hearing has not been scheduled yet
Senate Appropriations Hearing
Senate Committee
Senate Appropriations Hearing
Placed on suspense file
Senate Environmental Quality Hearing
Senate Committee
Senate Environmental Quality Hearing
Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]
Introduced
Senate Floor
Introduced
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Latest Voting History

April 7, 2025
PASS
Senate Committee
Senate Appropriations Hearing
AyesNoesNVRTotalResult
7007PASS

Contacts

Profile
Anna CaballeroD
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Roger NielloR
Senator
Bill Author
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Tom LackeyR
Assemblymember
Bill Author
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Steven ChoiR
Senator
Bill Author
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Phillip ChenR
Assemblymember
Bill Author
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
0 of 14 row(s) selected.
Page 1 of 3
Select All Legislators
Profile
Anna CaballeroD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Roger NielloR
Senator
Bill Author
Profile
Tom LackeyR
Assemblymember
Bill Author
Profile
Steven ChoiR
Senator
Bill Author
Profile
Phillip ChenR
Assemblymember
Bill Author
Profile
Tim GraysonD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Megan DahleR
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Kelly SeyartoR
Senator
Bill Author
Profile
Rosilicie Ochoa BoghR
Senator
Bill Author
Profile
Juan AlanisR
Assemblymember
Bill Author
Profile
Aisha WahabD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Christopher CabaldonD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Laura RichardsonD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Suzette ValladaresR
Senator
Bill Author