CA AB854

Exempts from California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review projects involving inspection, maintenance, repair, restoration, reconditioning, reconductoring with advanced conductors, replacement, or removal of transmission wires, cables, or directly attached equipment

Projects must be undertaken within an existing right-of-way, and for private rights-of-way, the applicant must have permission from the property owner

Project applicants must enter into a legally binding agreement to restore the right-of-way to its pre-project condition

Lead agencies must file a notice of exemption with the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation and county clerks in each county where the project is located

Supports California's goal to nearly double clean energy capacity over the next five years by streamlining permitting for transmission infrastructure upgrades, including reconductoring to increase grid capacity