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Rule 3.2240.Trial court costs in certain streamlined CEQA projects

Division 22. Petitions Under the California Environmental Quality Act · Chapter 2. California Environmental Quality Act Proceedings Involving Streamlined CEQA Projects · Article 3. Trial Court Costs · Last amended 2025 · Last verified July 29, 2026

In one sentenceRule 3.2240 requires project applicants in specific categories of streamlined CEQA cases to pay the trial court a fee of $180,000 or $120,000 within ten days after the petition is served, cover any special master or contract personnel costs the court incurs, and treats these payments as nonrecoverable and enforceable through sanctions.

Full Text of Rule 3.2240

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In fulfillment of the provisions in Public Resources Code sections 21168.6.6, 21168.6.7, 21168.6.8, 21168.6.9, 21183, and 21189.82 regarding payment of trial court costs with respect to cases concerning environmental leadership media campus, environmental leadership development, environmental leadership transit, Oakland ballpark, Inglewood arena, energy infrastructure, semiconductor or microelectronic, or water-related projects:
(1) Within 10 days after service of the petition or complaint in a case concerning an environmental leadership development project, the person or entity that applied for certification of the project as an environmental leadership development project must pay a fee of $180,000 to the court.
(2) Within 10 days after service of the petition or complaint in a case concerning an energy infrastructure project, a semiconductor or microelectronic project, or a water-related project, the project applicant, if the applicant is not the lead agency, must pay a fee of $180,000 to the court.
(3) Within 10 days after service of the petition or complaint in a case concerning an environmental leadership transit project, the project applicant must pay a fee of $180,000 to the court.
(4) Within 10 days after service of the petition or complaint in a case concerning an Oakland ballpark project or an Inglewood arena project, the person or entity that applied for certification of the project as a streamlined CEQA project must pay a fee of $120,000 to the court.
(5) Within 10 days after service of the petition or complaint in a case concerning an environmental leadership media campus project, the project applicant must pay a fee of $120,000 to the court.
(6) If the court incurs the costs of any special master appointed by the court in the case or of any contract personnel retained by the court to work on the case, the person or entity that applied for certification of the project or the project applicant must also pay, within 10 days of being ordered by the court, those incurred or estimated costs
(7) If the party fails to timely pay the fee or costs specified in this rule, the court may impose sanctions that the court finds appropriate after notifying the party and providing the party with an opportunity to pay the required fee or costs.
(8) Any fee or cost paid under this rule is not recoverable.
End

Plain-English Summary

Streamlined CEQA review moves fast because courts commit real resources to it — compressed briefing schedules, an early case management conference, a merits hearing within eighty days. Rule 3.2240 is how the trial courts get paid for carrying that load on certain categories of projects that opted into the streamlined process in exchange for its speed.

The amounts scale with the project category. Applicants for environmental leadership development projects, energy infrastructure, semiconductor or microelectronic projects, water-related projects, and environmental leadership transit projects each owe $180,000, due within ten days of the petition being served. Applicants for an Oakland ballpark project, an Inglewood arena project, or an environmental leadership media campus project owe $120,000 on the same ten-day clock. On top of those flat fees, if the court brings in a special master or contract personnel to help manage the case, the applicant has to cover those costs too, paid within ten days of the court’s order.

None of this money comes back. The rule makes clear that whatever is paid under it is not recoverable later, win or lose. And nonpayment carries real consequences: if a party misses one of these deadlines, the court can impose sanctions, but only after giving the party notice and a chance to pay first.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does an applicant owe the trial court in a streamlined CEQA case?

It depends on the project category. Rule 3.2240 sets a $180,000 fee for environmental leadership development, energy infrastructure, semiconductor or microelectronic, water-related, and environmental leadership transit projects, and a $120,000 fee for Oakland ballpark, Inglewood arena, and environmental leadership media campus projects.

When is the trial court cost payment due?

Within ten days after the petition or complaint is served, under Rule 3.2240.

Can an applicant get these payments back if it wins the case?

No. Rule 3.2240(8) makes any fee or cost paid under the rule nonrecoverable.

What happens if an applicant does not pay on time?

The court may impose sanctions, but only after notifying the party and giving it an opportunity to pay first, under Rule 3.2240(7).

Amendment History

Rule 3.2240 amended effective July 1, 2025;adopted effective March 11, 2022; previously amended effective January 1, 2023, and December 31, 2023.

Source & verification. Rule text is reproduced verbatim from the Judicial Council of California. Adopted by the Judicial Council of California. Last verified July 29, 2026. · Official source
Also known as: CEQA trial court cost payment streamlined projecthow much does streamlined CEQA review costOakland ballpark Inglewood arena CEQA fee