advanced manufacturing

Assembly Panel Advances Bill to Reinstate Env. Review for Industry Exemptions

By Vanguard AdministratorJune 23, 20260 comments

The California Assembly Natural Resources Committee advanced Senate Bill 954, legislation authored by Sen. Catherine Blakespear, which aims to restore environmental review requirements for a broad range of industrial facilities. These facilities were previously exempted from review under SB 131, a measure that supporters contend allowed over 75 categories of industrial operations to bypass environmental scrutiny. The bill is backed by a coalition of more than 125 labor, conservation, environmental justice, and public health organizations.

Op-ed | New Report: CEQA Exemptions for Industry Pass Costs onto the Public

By Clair Brown, Julia WalshJune 17, 20260 comments

Research from the University of California, Berkeley, indicates that the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review process reduces public health and environmental costs. The findings suggest that restoring CEQA review for “advanced manufacturing” facilities would ensure corporations bear the financial impacts of their operations, rather than shifting these burdens to taxpayers.