California lawmakers approve last-minute CEQA shortcut for San Diego's Midway Rising
Lawmakers approved a late-session deal allowing Midway Rising in San Diego to reuse an existing environmental review to meet CEQA requirements, effectively shielding the plan from new CEQA challenges in exchange for a 25-story arena, 4,250 housing units and public parks. If Gov. Newsom signs it, the measure would quicken development and housing goals while critics warn it bypasses public scrutiny and could set a broader precedent for environmental carveouts.