San Diego Union Tribune
SACRAMENTO – Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's draft economic stimulus package proposes to skip preparing time-consuming environmental impact reports for transportation projects, a move the administration believes would speed up the creation of new jobs.
Every project still would have to comply with standard environmental protections, even though the advance reports would not be required, according to people familiar with the proposal who were not authorized to speak publicly.
Some lawmakers may balk, given the history of disputes over environmental and economic issues during budget negotiations. Schwarzenegger is convinced that immediate investment in public works is necessary to create jobs, and environmental reviews could slow construction by months.
Schwarzenegger tomorrow is expected to order lawmakers, many of whom leave office at the end of the month, to return for a special session to address a staggering budget deficit of up to $10 billion in the current fiscal year.
The governor also is expected this week to unveil his economic stimulus package, which he wants passed by the same lame-duck Legislature.
The San Diego region could have a direct stake in the plan, which includes quickly injecting money into building roads and clearing obstacles that can delay highway projects and hospital remodeling.
Schwarzenegger's package will call for the early release of $700 million in state transportation money, including $102 million for projects to improve Interstates 5 and 805 in San Diego County.
Some of the $700 million also would be set aside for smaller local projects, from filling potholes to adding streetlights.
The administration estimates that spending $1 billion on transportation projects creates 22,000 new jobs.
"We have billions of dollars of infrastructure bond money available that has to be appropriated and pushed out so that people can get back to work," Schwarzenegger said last week.
Some legislative leaders have expressed support for re leasing bond money early. Without legislative intervention, for example, the $700 million could not go out until July 1 – and only if the Legislature adopts an on-time budget.
"This is certainly the time to prime the pump in as many ways as possible," said incoming Senate Majority Leader Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento.
Schwarzenegger also wants to provide incentives for hospitals planning to remodel, from improving maternity wards to installing new air conditioning. Currently, projects under $50,000 are exempt from going through full-scale state reviews.
He wants to increase the threshold to $1 million, thereby eliminating a 27-week wait.
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