State Legislature should reject dangerous SB 607

By Ashley Eagle-Gibbs, executive director, Environmental Action Committee of West Marin

May 19, 2025

Ashley Eagle-Gibbs

As executive director of the Environmental Action Committee of West Marin, I know many Californians are alarmed by the Trump administration’s aggressive approach to stripping back environmental regulations. President Donald Trump’s efforts to dramatically weaken the Clean Water Act, undermine protections for public lands and loosen requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act have left many reeling.

But if you believe that California is largely insulated from these changes given our own strong environmental laws, think again. There is a bill in the California Legislature right now that, if passed, would leave our communities vulnerable to wildfire risk and toxic pollution in ways that haven’t been true since before 1970.

Senate Bill 607 is being promoted as a housing bill, but that’s disingenuous. This dangerous bill would drastically curtail environmental review for a wide range of projects that would then be allowed to pollute our air, water and soil, as well as causing all kinds of other public health problems, especially for the most disadvantaged communities around the state. It could lead to new factories, dams, freeways, ports, shopping centers and airports being built with no meaningful environmental review.

SB 607 will not serve the public. Senate Pro-Tempore Mike McGuire has the power to kill this anti-environment bill. I hope McGuire steps up for his constituents and for all Californians to stop SB 607.