Delays, rising costs and bureaucratic red tape are the legacy of the California’s broken permitting system that costs families and businesses real money.

As with most things in the Golden State, there was noble intent behind the California Environmental Quality Act — created in 1970. Signed into law by Gov. Ronald Reagan, CEQA sought to catalogue the environmental impacts of actions taken by public agencies.

CEQA was written to create “productive harmony” between development and environmental protection. Today, it’s become a tool for obstruction. Projects that would actually help the environment—clean energy infrastructure, water systems, wildfire prevention—are being blocked by the very law meant to protect it.

The California Chamber of Commerce has introduced the Building an Affordable California initiative as a common-sense solution. This initiative modernizes CEQA without gutting environmental protection. Every safeguard remains—the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, and all other environmental laws stay in place. Public comment periods continue. Mitigation requirements stand. Local agencies retain full authority to approve or deny projects.

What changes is the timeline. Public agencies would have 365 days to make decisions on essential projects, with clear procedures if they miss that deadline. Courts would focus on substantive environmental concerns rather than procedural technicalities that allow frivolous lawsuits to drag on for years. The law would apply only to essential projects: housing, clean energy, water infrastructure, health care facilities, public safety, broadband and transportation.

For businesses, this means predictability. Clear timelines enable better planning and investment. Streamlined approval means lower costs for building the infrastructure our communities need. It means jobs — good-paying construction and infrastructure work that strengthens our economy. Most importantly, it means employees can find affordable housing near their jobs instead of enduring crushing commutes or leaving California entirely.

Some will argue this weakens environmental protection. The opposite is true. Right now, CEQA is blocking the clean energy projects we need to meet climate goals, delaying water infrastructure that protects public health and preventing wildfire mitigation that saves lives and habitats. A law that stops us from building what we need to address environmental challenges isn’t protecting anything — it’s just creating analysis paralysis.

Consider this: a study found that 85% of CEQA lawsuits were filed by organizations with no track record of environmental advocacy.

California can’t afford another decade of delays. Our children deserve homes they can afford. Our businesses need reliable infrastructure. Our communities require modern hospitals, clean water and wildfire protection. The Building an Affordable California Act restores CEQA’s original promise: productive harmony between development and environmental stewardship.

It’s time to build an affordable California — for our families, our businesses and our future.