Senate committee advances bill to speed CEQA review for Sutter Health Emeryville hospital

The California State Senate Environmental Quality Committee on Oct. 25 advanced SB 830 on a 5-0 roll-call vote, agreeing to concur in Assembly amendments that would provide a streamlined judicial review process under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) for Sutter Health’s proposed Emeryville hospital campus.

Senator Ereguene, who presented the bill to the committee, said SB 830 would designate the city of Emeryville as the lead agency for CEQA review and create a CEQA streamlining pathway for the project. “This bill will establish a CEQA streamlining process for Sutter Health’s new hospital campus in Emeryville and would designate the city of Emeryville as a lead agency for CEQA review,” Senator Ereguene said.

The bill’s sponsors and supporters told the committee the project is intended to replace acute-care services lost when Doctors Medical Center closed in 2015 and to offset the planned 2030…