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California Environmental Quality Act
Everyday Heroes vs. Special Interests
California’s population is expected to grow to 40 million people by 2010. As a result, the pressure to throw out careful planning in order to develop more housing and expand industries will be enormous. 40 bills have already been introduced in the current legislative year to modify the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). At the same time, Governor Schwarzenegger has begun throwing his weight behind the Building Industry Association’s efforts to introduce reckless changes to the Act, which represents the most essential citizens’ tool for protecting the health of our communities.
Enacted 35 years ago, the Environmental Quality Act simply requires California public agencies to consider the environmental impacts of upcoming decisions before they make them. Moreover, the Act gives citizens an effective voice in the debate against the powerful and well-connected. For example, the Act provides for a public comment period when a potentially damaging development is under consideration. This law has protected Californians from countless development projects that would have spewed toxins into our air, contaminated our soil, destroyed wildlife areas and beaches, poisoned our drinking water, and further snarled already difficult traffic. In the process, it has forced special interests to do their fair share to protect our communities and natural resources.
The California Environmental Quality Act has more than proven its worth:
- It provides air quality and public health protections in situations where the federal Clean Air Act falls short. Examples include increased traffic, sprawl, diesel truck traffic from new “big box” warehouses, and pollution from ships, trucks, trains and heavy equipment;
- By requiring new developments to incorporate measures to reduce storm water runoff, the Act has been a critical tool for protecting California’s drinking water, beaches, rivers and lakes;
- By ensuring environmental review when siting new industrial facilities, it has protected groundwater supplies upon which communities rely for drinking water;
- The Act helps Californians achieve the American dream—to own a good home in a safe neighborhood free of traffic, long commute times and pollution. It contributes to the creation of better, healthier, homes and communities—not fewer.
- From cleaning up the air we breathe to protecting the health of California families from dangerous materials in their drinking water, homes and schools, the Act has been an essential tool for workers and their unions.
The Environmental Quality Act is a law that works. The California Supreme Court has consistently ruled that the law “protects not only the environment but also informed self-government.” The bottom line is that this essential law is the equalizer between powerful corporate interests and our communities.
What You Can Do
The California Environmental Quality is under attack this year. Urge Governor Schwarzenegger to take a strong stance in defense of the state’s most important environmental and public health protection.
See our sample letter and personalize your own!
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814
Fax: 916-558-3160
Email the Governor using his web form at http://www.govmail.ca.gov/.
