flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

Calif. bill would speed up environmental lawsuits on certain projects

Legislation

Calif. bill would speed up environmental lawsuits on certain projects

A nine-month limit has been proposed for some $100 million-plus projects.


By Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor | August 10, 2016

Pixabay Public Domain

A bill in the California Assembly would force any environmental lawsuit against certain projects to conclude within nine months.

The bill would apply to projects valued at $100 million or more. In order to qualify for the nine-month lawsuit restriction, a project would also have to provide for higher wages for construction workers and meet targets for greenhouse gas emissions and renewable energy.

The bill’s proponents believe it would speed up certain megaprojects by three years. The bill does not shield projects from the California Environmental Quality Act, but it allows such lawsuits to move through the courts faster.

To become law, the bill must pass before the end of the legislative session in August.

Related Stories

| Jan 5, 2012

New law bars Defense Department from new LEED certifications

The Defense Department will not be allowed to use any money to certify its buildings LEED Gold or Platinum, under a law President Obama signed Dec. 31.

| Dec 22, 2011

Federal home weatherization program has impacted 6.8 million homes

More than 6.8 million homes have been weatherized using federal, state, utility, and other funds under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

| Dec 15, 2011

Dayton, Ohio schools saving $2.6 million annually by building to LEED

On average, green schools save about $100,000 a year on operating costs, including energy and water savings.

| Dec 15, 2011

Building to LEED standards can pose new risks for construction workers

Workers on these projects suffer a 24% increase in falls to lower levels during roof work, which researchers attributed to the installation of solar panels, and a few other risks.

| Dec 15, 2011

NRDC charges Maine governor with weakening green wood requirement

The FSC program is administered through the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and requires wood to be harvested in a sustainable way.

| Dec 15, 2011

Post-tornado, Tuscaloosa seeks to create walkable urban, retail areas

Block sizes initially were limited to a maximum perimeter of 1,750 feet, with no side of the block being longer than 500 feet.

| Dec 15, 2011

Allentown, Pa. city council asked to repeal union-friendly law

The mayor of Allentown, Pa. asked the City Council to repeal a year-old ordinance that forces contractors to hire union workers for large city projects funded with state and federal dollars.

| Dec 13, 2011

LEED-EB outpaces LEED for new construction

The U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC's) LEED certifications for existing buildings standard is outpacing LEED for new buildings for the first time.

| Dec 1, 2011

OSHA releases new construction safety videos

OSHA released new safety videos to offer both employers and workers brief, easy-to-understand education about construction safety.

| Nov 23, 2011

Obama signs repeal of 3% withholding on government contracts

President Obama signed a bill that repeals a law requiring governments to withhold 3% of payments over $10,000 to contractors.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category



Legislation

Efforts to encourage more housing projects on California coast stall

A movement to encourage more housing projects along the California coast has stalled out in the California legislature. Earlier this year, lawmakers, with the backing of some housing activists, introduced a series of bills aimed at making it easier to build apartments and accessory dwelling units along California’s highly regulated coast. 


halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021