The Weaponization of Environmental Review

Laws designed to stop toxic dumping are now routinely used to block infill apartment buildings next to transit stations.

The Process

In states like California (CEQA) and New York (SEQRA), discretionary projects require a study of impacts: traffic, noise, aesthetics.

"The paradox of CEQA is that it makes it incredibly difficult to build the dense, transit-oriented housing that is fundamentally better for the environment than suburban sprawl." - Research Note, 2023