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

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.

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Calif. bill would speed up environmental lawsuits on certain projects

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