The California Environmental Quality Act has come under attack this year through numerous bills that have been introduced. Five members of the GOP are taking it a step further and are withholding their votes on a budget until sweeping changes to CEQA occur. While the legislators declined to share the details of their proposal, you can view it here, courtesy of the Los Angeles Times.
Below are a few reasons to protect CEQA:
CEQA empowers local communities and promotes democratic participation by ensuring that public agencies make informed decisions. CEQA gives the public a real voice in analyzing the impacts of projects – from strip malls to power plants – on their communities. CEQA gives Californians a voice in how their neighborhoods are developed and how their communities will grow.
CEQA ensures that we can safeguard the health and well being of our families and neighborhoods, and protect our communities from environmental toxins and hazards. CEQA is considered California’s most important environmental law – allowing public participation to help protect our air, water, and our neighborhoods. An attack on CEQA shuts out our voice and our community.
Tell our legislators to protect CEQA during the budget process.