Supporters of the Clippers’ proposed new arena in Inglewood are "pushing for major help" at the Capitol in Sacramento to "get the project built," according to Dillon & Fenno of the L.A. TIMES. A preliminary draft of a new bill shows backers are "seeking last-minute legislation that would give the arena a significant break under the state’s primary environmental law governing development." Under the proposal, any lawsuits against the arena filed under the California Environmental Quality Act, which "requires developers to disclose and minimize a project’s impact on the environment, must aim to be wrapped up within nine months, a significantly shorter timeline than in typical cases." The bill would also "limit a court’s ability to halt the arena’s construction, even if it found the project's environmental review didn't adequately study traffic problems or had other flaws." Both of these perks "were supported" by the Legislature in '13 to "benefit a new basketball arena for the Kings in downtown Sacramento." Arena project manager Chris Meany in a statement confirmed that the team was "supporting the proposal in the Legislature and likened it to breaks under the environmental law that lawmakers have given to other stadium and arena plans." Inglewood Mayor James Butts in an email wrote that the city "supports the proposed legislation and sought the help of its representatives in Sacramento to ease development of the arena and transit hub." MSG Co., which owns The Forum in Inglewood, has been "outspoken in opposition to the development, and has hired the powerful lobbying firm Mercury Public Affairs to oppose any legislation" (L.A. TIMES, 8/24).
