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AB-839 • 2026

California Environmental Quality Act: expedited judicial review: sustainable aviation fuel projects.

California Environmental Quality Act: expedited judicial review: sustainable aviation fuel projects.

Education
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Blanca Rubio
Last action
2025-07-02
Official status
In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and digest do not provide detailed information on the criteria for sustainable aviation fuel projects or the exact nature of streamlining benefits.

California Environmental Quality Act: Expedited Review for Sustainable Aviation Fuel Projects

AB-839 allows the Governor to certify up to three sustainable aviation fuel projects as infrastructure projects, providing them with certain streamlining benefits under CEQA.

What This Bill Does

  • Authorizes the Governor to certify up to three sustainable aviation fuel projects meeting specific requirements as infrastructure projects.
  • Requires lead agencies to prepare records of proceedings concurrently with environmental reviews for these certified projects.
  • Limits legal challenges against these projects, requiring courts to resolve disputes within 270 days.
  • Ensures public notice is given when a project is certified.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Governor of California
  • Lead agencies responsible for environmental reviews
  • Companies involved in sustainable aviation fuel projects

Terms To Know

Sustainable Aviation Fuel Projects
Projects that produce fuels for airplanes using environmentally friendly methods.
Environmental Impact Report (EIR)
A document that explains the environmental effects of a project and ways to reduce those effects.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if more than three projects meet the criteria.
  • It is unclear how many sustainable aviation fuel projects currently exist in California.

Bill History

  1. 2025-07-02 California Legislative Information

    In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.

  2. 2025-06-24 California Legislative Information

    From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on E.Q.

  3. 2025-06-04 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Coms. on E.Q. and JUD.

  4. 2025-05-23 California Legislative Information

    In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.

  5. 2025-05-23 California Legislative Information

    Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 71. Noes 0. Page 1653.)

  6. 2025-05-15 California Legislative Information

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  7. 2025-05-14 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (May 14).

  8. 2025-04-30 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (April 29). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  9. 2025-04-22 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (April 21). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.

  10. 2025-04-21 California Legislative Information

    Re-referred to Com. on NAT. RES.

  11. 2025-04-11 California Legislative Information

    From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on NAT. RES. Read second time and amended.

  12. 2025-03-25 California Legislative Information

    Re-referred to Com. on NAT. RES.

  13. 2025-03-24 California Legislative Information

    From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on NAT. RES. Read second time and amended.

  14. 2025-03-24 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Coms. on NAT. RES. and JUD.

  15. 2025-02-20 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be heard in committee March 22.

  16. 2025-02-19 California Legislative Information

    Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 839, as amended, Blanca Rubio.
California Environmental Quality Act: expedited judicial review: sustainable aviation fuel projects.
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires a lead agency, as defined, to prepare, or cause to be prepared, and certify the completion of an environmental impact report (EIR) on a project that it proposes to carry out or approve that may have a significant effect on the environment or to adopt a negative declaration if it finds that the project will not have that effect. CEQA also requires a lead agency to prepare a mitigated negative declaration for a project that may have a significant effect on the environment if revisions in the project would avoid or mitigate that effect and there is no substantial evidence that the project, as revised, would have a significant effect on the environment.
CEQA authorizes the Governor to certify projects meeting certain requirements as infrastructure projects and provide those certified
projects with certain streamlining benefits, including requiring the lead agency to prepare the record of proceedings concurrently with the environmental review process and requiring the resolution of an action or proceeding challenging the certification of an EIR for certified projects or the granting of any project approvals, to the extent feasible, within 270 days of the filing of the record of proceedings with the court, as specified. Existing law requires the lead agency, within 10 days of the certification of an infrastructure project, to provide a public notice of the certification, as provided. If a lead agency fails to approve a project certified as an infrastructure project before January 1, 2033, existing law specifies that the certification is no longer valid.
This bill would authorize the Governor to certify up to 3 sustainable aviation fuel projects, as defined, meeting certain requirements, as infrastructure projects, thereby providing the above
streamlining benefits to those projects. By expanding the duties of a lead agency as they relate to infrastructure projects and to sustainable aviation fuel projects, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
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