Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Governor Brown signs Olsen’s CEQA reform bill into law

SACRAMENTO –– Making headway in the restructuring of California’s signature environmental law, today, Governor Jerry Brown signed Assemblymember Kristin Olsen’s (R-Modesto) Assembly Bill 890 into law.

AB 890 streamlines the process for cities and counties to make minor roadway safety improvements, saving them time and money. It moved through the Legislature on a 106-2 vote, after two years of hard work and collaboration by Olsen. 
 

“After two years of working with multiple entities and members of both parties, I am grateful to Governor Brown for signing AB 890 into law and allowing vital roadway safety projects to move forward without the threat of costly environmental regulations,” said Olsen. 

In recent years, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) has held up many public works projects.  Olsen’s bill will create a statutory exemption from CEQA for roadway safety improvements as long as the project is on an existing road and doesn't cross a waterway or increase traffic capacity of the road.  The bill will save cities and counties hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars, and help them avoid time delays when pursuing minor safety improvements like adding guardrails on steep rural roads. 

“This new law signals the recognition that reforms to California’s Environmental Quality Act are needed,” said Olsen. “My goal is for this to serve as a stepping stone in the reformation of further CEQA regulations and hopefully permanent solutions to its unfortunate consequences like frivolous lawsuits.”

Olsen was praised by Assembly Natural Resources Committee Vice Chair Steve Knight (R-Palmdale) for her diligence in seeing this law through to fruition.

“The bipartisan cooperation and support in passing this bill has been exemplary and it wouldn’t have happened without Kristin's hard work and determination,” said Knight. “Our state would benefit from the kind of collaboration that advanced this bill.”

AB 890 will go into effect on January 1, 2013.  The measure was joint authored by Assemblyman Henry Perea (D-Fresno).