approval

The commission must still sign off on final approval of the hike.

Last week, the prime minister unveiled the first series of "nation-building" projects that Ottawa will review for fast-track approvals - a key part of his wider economic agenda.

It will streamline regulatory approvals, cutting the average licensing period for nuclear projects from up to four years to just two.

The bill that lawmakers approved Saturday would grant statutory approval for up to 2,000 new wells per year in Kern County, the heart of California oil country.

The bill had already squeaked through the state Senate by a narrow margin earlier this year, but since it was amended in the following months, it required a second approval.