On November 20, 2025, Restore the Delta submitted comments to the Attorney General’s Office highlighting our deep concerns with the proposed October 2025 Ballot Initiative, titled “Building an Affordable California.” The October 2025 proposed Ballot Initiative seeks to undermine California’s foundational environmental law, the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”). At a time when our environment is under attack at the federal level, California should be stepping up as we have done throughout history to preserve our waterways, our air quality, and our most vulnerable communities – not rendering useless the very foundation of US environmental law. Under the proposed initiative, “essential projects” are defined so broadly that virtually any public, private, or utility infrastructure project could qualify—paving the way for large-scale construction without the environmental review and community protections CEQA provides.
We highlight the following concerns in further details in our comments:
- The Delta Conveyance Project, an extremely controversial project proposal currently contested in numerous legal proceedings, would fall under the current definition of water infrastructure projects in this ballot initiative.
- The ballot initiative would erode public participation, eliminating a crucial outlet for project impacts and concerns.
- The ballot initiative would drastically shorten and remove the ability for the public to contest projects under CEQA, further exacerbating the limited resources available to small organizations and community advocates.
- CEQA provides protection to natural resources and the local economies reliant on a thriving environment. Restore the Delta is particularly concerned for the Delta’s $7 billion annual economy, which has seen three consecutive years of closures to its $1.5 billion commercial salmon fishing industry, steady declines in its recreation economy, and significant hits to the $5 billion agricultural economy.
WHAT’S NEXTThe 30 day public review period concluded on November 20, 2025. Proponents have 5 days after the close of the comment period to make amendments. The Legislative Analyst Office and the Department of Finance have 50 days to release a joint fiscal estimate. The Secretary of State will then release the official summary and title along with deadlines within 15 days of receiving the fiscal estimate. Proponents will have a maximum of 180 days to circulate petitions, collect signatures, and file petitions with county elections officials. Once petitions are submitted and the initiative is certified by the Secretary of State, the Assembly and Senate are required to assign the proposed initiative measure to its appropriate committees and hold joint public hearings. July 25th is the deadline for the Secretary of State to certify measures and determine a measure eligible and qualified for the ballot.
RESOURCES
You can subscribe to receive updates from the Attorney General’s office on the Cal Chamber’s ‘Building an Affordable CA’ ballot initiative.
- Subscribe to receive updates: https://oag.ca.gov/subscribe
- Statewide Initiative Guide: https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/ballot-measures/pdf/statewide-initiative-guide.pdf