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SB 71 Would Make CEQA Exemption for Sustainable Transportation Permanent; Committee Approves
Summary
SB 71 would make permanent (and modestly expand) a statutory CEQA exemption that accelerates certain climate‑beneficial transportation projects; transit agencies said the exemption has shortened review from months or years to weeks.
Sen. Scott Wiener presented SB 71 to extend and expand an existing CEQA exemption that has been used to accelerate “sustainable transportation” projects including rapid bus lanes, signal modifications, bike and pedestrian projects and infrastructure needed for near‑zero fleets.
Transit and planning advocates said the exemption has worked. Jenny Delumo (San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency) said the agency has used the exemption to deliver more than 40 community‑supported projects more quickly and that the exemption reduces months or years of review. Laura Tolkoff (SPUR) said a recent review found 92 projects statewide that used the earlier statutory exemption to accelerate active‑transportation, bus priority and zero‑emission fleet projects.
The bill retains guardrails such as limiting projects to existing public rights‑of‑way and requiring equity analysis and public engagement for larger projects. No lead witnesses opposed the bill; many transit agencies and regional groups registered support. The committee voted to pass SB 71, as amended, to the Transportation Committee.
