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News Articles

$1.2 Trillion Infrastructure Legislation Provides Funding and NEPA Streamlining for Key Environmental and Infrastructure Projects

By Hina Gupta, Esq. On November 15, 2021, President Biden signed the landmark $1.2 trillion infrastructure legislation package, more commonly referred to as the Infrastructure…

Read More 2022-01-10

In a Landmark Decision, the California Court of Appeal Holds that a City’s Decision to Deny an Application For a Multifamily Building Violated the State’s Housing Accountability Act

By Laura Harris The First District Court of Appeal in California Renters Legal Advocacy and Education Fund v. City of San Mateo held that the…

Read More 2021-11-06

California Court of Appeal Upholds Application of CEQA Urban Infill Exemption to Gas Station Project

By Travis Brooks In a case filed on September 28, 2021 and certified for publication on October 26, 2021, the Fourth District Court of Appeal…

Read More 2021-11-06

Ninth Circuit Vacates Judgement Requiring Clean Water Act Citizen Suit to Prove Ongoing Discharge in Case Alleging Monitoring Violations

By Carl Jones and Rebecca Andrews The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, on September 20, 2021, vacated a U.S. District court’s grant of partial summary…

Read More 2021-11-06

Biden Administration Begins Process of Reversing Trump-Era Amendments to NEPA Regulations—CEQ Releases Proposed Rule

By Deborah Quick The Bident administration has begun the process of reversing various Trump administration amendments to regulations governing agencies’ implementation the National Environmental Policy…

Read More 2021-11-06

California Passes Three Key Housing Bills this Legislative Year to Streamline CEQA Review for Certain Housing Projects

By Madeline Weisman and Hina Gupta In the current legislative year, Governor Gavin Newsom has signed over 30 legislations  to fight California’s ongoing housing crisis by…

Read More 2021-11-06

U.S. Supreme Court Finds ‘Finality Requirement’ for Regulatory Takings Claim Does Not Require Exhaustion of State Administrative Remedies

By Bridget McDonald The U.S. Supreme Court has issued a unanimous per curium opinion in Pakdel v. City and County of San Francisco holding that…

Read More 2021-09-12

California Court of Appeal Affirms Coastal Commission’s Coastal Bluff Setback Requirement Considering Factors of Safety and Life of the Project

By Boyd Hill The Fourth District Court of Appeal for California in Gary Martin v. California Coastal Commission reaffirmed its determination in Lindstrom v. California…

Read More 2021-09-11

U.S. District Court Applies the Clean Water Act ‘Functional Equivalent’ Standard Set Forth by the U.S. Supreme Court

By Ana Schwab and Rebecca Andrews To determine if the County of Maui required a federal Clean Water Act permit, the U.S. District Court for…

Read More 2021-09-11

U.S. Supreme Court Holds Natural Gas Act Authorizes FERC ‘Certified’ Pipeline Project Companies to Seize State-Owned Land through Federally Granted Eminent Domain Authority

By Bridget McDonald In a narrow five-to-four decision, the U.S. Supreme Court in Penneast Pipeline Co., LLC v. New Jersey has held that the Natural Gas…

Read More 2021-09-11