With a little more than half the vote counted early Wednesday, voters appeared to be rejecting the idea of amending the California Environmental Quality Act. Prop. 45, which would change the state’s landmark environmental review law by setting deadlines for environmental reviews and related lawsuits on certain projects, was losing 54 percent to 46 percent. Supporters had said the changes would reduce building costs. The California Chamber of Commerce sponsored Proposition 45, the Building an Affordable California Act, which would limit the length of environmental reviews for projects deemed “essential” to 365 business days and require courts to resolve litigation in 270 calendar days. Those projects include housing, water, broadband and transit developments.  

Other Proposition 45 news:

• KQED (San Francisco): Californians rejecting Proposition 45 in early returns
• CBS8 (San Diego): California Prop 45 live election results: speed up environmental review