Thanks to all who made a phone call or sent an email to protect the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
| I am sad to report that the California Legislature passed, and the Governor subsequently signed into law, a budget bill that contains provisions that fundamentally weaken CEQA. The only positive aspect of the legislation is a promise to introduce a “clean-up” bill to address some of the worst aspects. What that means exactly, I’m not sure, but as I learn more, I will share the details with you. Click here to read a really good summary of what happened, according to CalMatters (an excellent website for tracking the latest news from Sacramento). What is the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)? CEQA is (was?) a bedrock California environmental protection law that requires, among other things, that before a proposed development can be approved, the impacts of that development be analyzed and reported in the form of an Environmental Impact Report. Sounds simple because it is, but you can see how special interests, who seek to exploit our environment, wouldn’t want that kind of review and oversight. A couple of important things to note. 1) Although there was an effort to remove the requirement of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) from proposed development review, that important provision remains. For more than half a century, the rule has been that if there’s a fair argument that environmental damage may occur, an EIR must be prepared. State Senator Scott Wiener initially sought to reverse the presumption, requiring EIR advocates to prove that an EIR was necessary, but he dropped that provision to expedite the bill’s passage. 2) Developments near (or in) the Los Cerritos Wetlands will remain subject to the oversight of the California Coastal Commission and adhere to the laws of the Coastal Act, thus allowing our local and fragile Los Cerritos Wetlands some additional protections. Nevertheless, we are sad that it will be easier to exploit vulnerable habitats throughout the state, including coastal habitats, oak woodlands, chaparral, forests, desert vistas, and grasslands, without any environmental review or mitigation. We are sad that vulnerable communities will be more likely to be exposed to toxic industrial projects with little to no protections for those living alongside industrially zoned land. Shockingly, the bill provides no guardrails to protect against the worst health and safety impacts on residents and school children in these areas. I thank all of you who made a phone call or sent an email to those legislators who represent us. Community support for the protection of Los Cerritos Wetlands inspires and sustains me. Stay tuned; there will be more to come, and I will keep you informed. In the meantime, have a safe and sustainable 4th of July holiday. And join us on the July 5th nature walk, if you can. Details are below. Sincerely, Elizabeth Lambe Executive Director Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust P.S. It’s not too late to contact your legislator and voice your opinion to ensure that SB 131’s clean-up amendments will result in meaningful improvements to the bill. The amendments are being drafted now. Ask them to commit to addressing the aspects of the bill that pose significant harm to communities and the environment. That’s all you need to say! Your legislator’s contact information can be found at https://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov. |
