California environmental groups slam Proposition 45
California environmental and labor groups oppose Proposition 45, a November ballot measure that would accelerate environmental reviews and resolve related lawsuits more quickly. Critics, including The Climate Center and Greenbelt Alliance, warn the proposal could expedite large data centers and other potentially polluting projects while reducing community oversight.
Proposition 45 would establish deadlines for environmental reviews and lawsuits challenging project approvals in California, potentially speeding development of housing, infrastructure, water and health projects. Although the measure does not specifically target data centers, opponents say it could make it easier to build large data centers and other projects with less public input, including in wildfire-prone areas.
The Climate Center CEO Kat Lockwood and Greenbelt Alliance legislative director Jordan Grimes criticized the measure as a rollback of protections under the California Environmental Quality Act and argued that it shifts authority from communities and local agencies to developers. Supporters, including the California Building Industry Association and major utilities, say the measure would reduce unnecessary delays, while the Sierra Club, labor groups and other environmental organizations oppose it.