California Environmental Quality Act: expedited judicial review: infrastructure projects: hydrogen.
The impact of AB 2190 is considerable, as it aims to enhance the development of hydrogen energy projects in California, a state aiming to significantly reduce carbon emissions and transition to renewable energy resources. By enabling projects that use hydrogen to qualify for expedited judicial review, proponents argue that it will facilitate the transition to cleaner energy resources and bolster the state's commitment to combating climate change. However, the bill also imposes additional responsibilities on lead agencies conducting environmental reviews, expanding the requirements for documentation and processes that must be followed.
Assembly Bill 2190, introduced by Assembly Member Mathis, proposes amendments to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) concerning energy infrastructure projects that utilize hydrogen as a fuel. Specifically, the bill seeks to remove the existing exclusion that prevents projects utilizing hydrogen from receiving streamlined judicial review benefits under CEQA. This change would allow the Governor to certify such projects for expedited judicial review, ensuring that any lawsuits regarding the certification of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) or approval of projects are resolved within a 270-day timeframe, when feasible. Currently, energy projects typically certified for expedited review do not include those using hydrogen, thereby potentially limiting the advancement of hydrogen-related technologies and infrastructure in California.