To the editor: Opposite to Jennifer Hernandez’s and Soledad Ursua’s specious claims, the California Environmental High quality Act (CEQA) offers environmental justice protections for Latinos. CEQA provides Californians instruments to seek out out and converse up about polluting tasks proposed of their neighborhoods. (“Regardless of noble intentions, California’s environmental regulation is hurting Latinos,” Opinion, June 19)
Polluting tasks are disproportionately in-built low-income communities of shade, and these communities face larger charges of bronchial asthma, most cancers and pollution-related well being issues. CEQA is a strong software to compel builders to cut back air and water air pollution, site visitors and different public well being threats.
For instance, Fontana residents (69% Latino) used CEQA to cut back diesel air pollution and heavy-truck site visitors of their neighborhoods from a brand new warehouse undertaking. Residents in Arvin (95% Latino) used CEQA to require evaluation of the impacts of 4 oil wells proposed close to properties.
It’s unsurprising that the claims by Hernandez and Ursua are backward. Hernandez’s company regulation agency has represented builders and industries which were making an attempt to eradicate environmental laws for years.
Grecia Orozco, Delano, Calif.
The author is a employees legal professional on the Heart on Race, Poverty and the Surroundings.
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To the editor: CEQA is hurting Latinos not solely by hindering inexpensive housing, significantly infill redevelopment, however by stopping open house entry for underserved communities.
A working example is the California Division of Fish and Wildlife’s (DFW) 600-acre restoration plan for the Ballona Wetlands close to Marina del Rey. “Anti-bulldozer” extremists, notably the Ballona Wetlands Land Belief and three different plaintiffs, sued the DFW, claiming every kind of imaginary disaster if the severely degraded and buried wetlands had been exhumed and restored in accordance with the DFW’s skilled plan.
The courtroom present in plaintiffs’ favor on solely two of 26 factors raised — analytical factors which the company simply corrected and which don’t have any materials impact on the undertaking. Nonetheless, the courtroom ruling has already delayed restoration practically three years and added taxpayer prices of in all probability $3 million.
In the meantime, the largely Latino group in Del Rey to the east is denied sorely wanted open house inside strolling distance. This instantly interprets to a public well being impression, as quite a few research have proven well being advantages from such entry, significantly for youngsters.
CEQA reform ought to due to this fact additionally handle the adversarial societal impacts of such frivolous self-enrichment lawsuits disguised as environmental safety.
David W. Kay, Playa Vista
The author managed the San Dieguito Wetlands restoration for Southern California Edison from 2007 to 2012.
