APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY
___________________________
CITY ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
OAKLAND CITY COUNCIL
RESOLUTION NO. ______________ C.M.S.
INTRODUCED BY COUNCILMEMBER WANG
RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF SB 954 (BLAKESPEAR ), A BILL
CHANGING THE NON-HOUSING CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL
QUALITY ACT (CEQA) EXEMPTION.
WHEREAS, in 2025 the California State Legislature adopted a trailer bill that was signed into law, which created new and expanded exemptions from environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)—including an exemption for so-called “advanced manufacturing;” and
WHEREAS, at the time of the passage of the bill in 2025, many advocates and elected officials raised concerns about insufficient protections for communities from exposure to toxic chemicals, pollution of air and water supplies, loss of habitat for sensitive species, damage to tribal resources, and an overly broad definition for advanced manufacturing; and
WHEREAS, constraining and significantly narrowing the advanced manufacturing pollution loophole will not interfere with or alter other reforms to speed up approvals for and construction of new infill housing; and
WHEREAS, for the purposes of exemption from CEQA review, the state currently defines “advanced manufacturing” to include, but not necessarily limited to, new or proposed expansion projects involving lithium processing, plastics processing and fabrication, chemical manufacturing, fertilizer development, metal recycling, pesticides manufacturing, and medical waste incineration; and
WHEREAS, over 30 state legislators signed a letter in 2025 urging prompt legislative action to fix the outstanding issues in the bill, yet no corrective action had been taken last year; and
WHEREAS, SB 954 would, in addition to constraining the potentially harmful and unhealthy advanced manufacturing exemption, expand the CEQA exemption for daycare facilities, extend labor standards for certain exempt projects, and ensure that projects threatening habitat for protected species undergo environmental review; and
WHEREAS, SB 954 is supported by Alameda (County) Labor Council, Asian Pacific Environmental Network (APEN) Action, Blue-Green Alliance, California Interfaith Power & Light, California Nurses Association (CNA), Center for Environmental Health, Clean Water Action, Communities for a Better Environment (CBE), The Greenlining Institute, NRDC, Save the Bay, Sierra Club California, West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project (WOEIP), United Auto Workers (Region 6), Urban Habitat, 350 Bay Area Action, and dozens of other environmental, environmental justice, and labor groups; now therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Oakland City Council expresses serious concerns about the potential for increases in industrial pollution due to an environmental review process that is virtually absent of transparency and lacks opportunities for required mitigation, and supports effective action to limit and reign in the recently created “advanced manufacturing” exemption in CEQA; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Oakland City Council hereby supports SB 954 (Blakespear) and urges all state legislators in the East Bay and throughout California to support this bill, and Governor Newsom to sign the bill, as well as support all practicable efforts to protect East Bay and California residents from toxic contaminants and other industrial pollution in our communities.
IN COUNCIL, OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA,
PASSED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:
AYES - BROWN, FIFE, GALLO, HOUSTON, RAMACHANDRAN, UNGER, WANG, AND
PRESIDENT JENKINS
NOES –
ABSENT –
ABSTENTION –
ATTEST:
ASHA REED
City Clerk and Clerk of the Council of the
City of Oakland, California