On March 4, the Assembly Select Committee on Permitting Reform released its final report containing recommendations to reduce red tape and expedite housing, energy, water, and transportation projects.
The Select Committee, chaired by Assembly Member Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) began exploring ways to improve and streamline permitting in June 2023. RCRC was pleased to present to the Select Committee at its first meeting on June 18th and submitted extensive recommendations in December 2024.
Among the report’s recommendations are:
- Minimize uncertainty in the application and entitlement processes for housing
- Create more consistency for permitting housing projects across local jurisdictions
- Focus CEQA on environmental issues for housing projects
- Make the AB 205 opt-in permitting process for renewable energy projects more workable for project developers
- Facilitate conversion of fallowed agricultural land to clean energy production
- Minimize unnecessary restrictions on battery storage facilities
- Work to align local, state, and federal permitting agencies for energy projects
- Enhance interagency coordination and consistency for water projects
- Create distinct permitting pathways for drought resiliency and flood risk reduction projects
- Increase consistency across local permitting entities for transportation projects that cross jurisdictional boundaries
The report largely sidestepped the problems that CEQA has created for a broad array of housing, energy, wildfire risk reduction, and other infrastructure projects. The report largely praised the Department of Fish and Wildlife for its work to expedite environmentally beneficial projects and did not reflect consistent feedback from many stakeholders that CDFW’s permitting process can often be a nightmare for local permit applicants that puts communities, health, and safety at risk.
For more information, contact RCRC Senior Policy Advocate, John Kennedy.