A California trial court vacated approvals for the Centennial at Tejon Ranch project—a multi-use development on 12,323 acres on Los Angeles County’s border with Kern County—more than two years after finding that the environmental impact report for the project contained flawed analyses of greenhouse gas emissions because it improperly relied on California’s cap-and-trade program to mitigate emissions. The court also found that analysis did not support the conclusion that wildfire risk impacts would not be significant. A December 2021 settlement resolved one organization’s California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) claims, with the developer committing to measures to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions and to implement wildfire resilience measures. In a press release after the approvals were vacated, the developer said further review of the project would assume implementation of the settlement. The developer also noted that it had the option of appealing the judgment, as well as a 2022 decision that gave one of the remaining petitioners prevailing party status for the successful CEQA claims.

Challenge to large development project on border of Los Angeles County and Kern County.

Center for Biological Diversity v. County of Los Angeles

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California Court Vacated Approvals for Los Angeles County Development Project

Filed

United States of America

California

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California Court Vacated Approvals for Los Angeles County Development Project

Policy instrument

Risk

Greenhouse gas

Economic sector

Finance