Passed in 1970, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) is the state’s broadest environmental law. While the landmark legislation was designed as a tool for activists to protect the state’s fragile ecosystems, litigation abuse has been an unintended consequence. More than 2,700 CEQA lawsuits were filed from 2002 to 2015 alone. In this paper, we examine CEQA’s use as a weapon as well as its role as a savior, and we offer recommendations for improving it.