SB-252 • 2026

California Environmental Quality Act: exemption: undergrounding powerlines.

Education

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Valladares
Last action: 2026-02-02
Official status: Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The exact criteria and process for determining whether a project qualifies for the exemption are not detailed in the provided official source material.

California Environmental Quality Act: Underground Powerlines Exemption

The bill removes the requirement for environmental impact reports under CEQA for projects that involve burying power lines underground.

What This Bill Does

Removes the need for an environmental impact report (EIR) or a negative declaration under CEQA for projects to bury power lines underground.

Who It Names or Affects

Lead agencies responsible for approving or carrying out projects involving undergrounding of power lines.
Companies and organizations planning to bury power lines underground in California.

Terms To Know

Environmental Impact Report (EIR): A document that explains the environmental effects of a project and ways to reduce those effects.
Lead agency: The government body responsible for approving or carrying out a project.

Limits and Unknowns

Does not specify how lead agencies should decide if a project qualifies for the exemption.
Does not provide details on what happens if undergrounding power lines has significant environmental effects.

Bill History

2026-02-02 California Legislative Information
Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56.
2025-03-25 California Legislative Information
April 2 set for second hearing canceled at the request of author.
2025-03-12 California Legislative Information
Set for hearing April 2.
2025-03-11 California Legislative Information
March 19 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author.
2025-03-07 California Legislative Information
Set for hearing March 19.
2025-02-14 California Legislative Information
Referred to Coms. on E.Q. and E., U & C.
2025-02-04 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 6.
2025-02-03 California Legislative Information
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Official Summary Text

SB 252, as introduced, Valladares.
California Environmental Quality Act: exemption: undergrounding powerlines.
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 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.
This bill would exempt from the provisions of CEQA a project to underground powerlines. Because a lead agency would be required
to determine if a project qualifies for this exemption, 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

Download Bill PDF