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EcoNews Report: Prop 45 would limit environmental and public review for new developments

From the 'Save Mt. Diablo' Facebook page
From the 'Save Mt. Diablo' Facebook page

On this week’s EcoNews Report, we dive into Prop 45, the ballot initiative forwarded by the California Chamber of Commerce that would significantly alter the California Environmental Quality Act by rolling back protections in the permitting for projects like dams, data centers, and freeway expansions. Many of the proposed changes are going to be directly felt by rural areas like ours who don’t have the planning staff to meet new stringent deadlines for project approval, meaning a choice will have to be made: skimp on environmental analysis and public engagement, or risk litigation from developers.

Elizabeth Reid-Wainscoat of the Center for Biological Diversity joins the program to discuss why her organization is opposed and is urging voters to vote no.

The Center for Biological Diversity is hosting an informational webinar on Prop 45 on Thursday, Sept. 24 at 6 p.m. You can register here.

In addition to being a host on EcoNews Report, Scott Greacen is also Executive Director of Friends of the Eel River. Scott is a graduate of Reed College and Lewis and Clark Law School, and a member of the California bar. He has been active in the environmental movement since 1989.
Jennifer Kalt is the Director of Humboldt Baykeeper, which works to safeguard coastal resources for the health, enjoyment, and economic strength of the Humboldt Bay community. The Baykeeper edition of the Northcoast Environmental Center's EcoNews Report airs on the third Thursday of the month, and features interviews of the many fascinating people involved in Humboldt Bay issues. For more info, visit humboldtbaykeeper.org.
Tom Wheeler is the Program Director and Staff Attorney at the Environmental Protection Information Center. Tom graduated from the University of Washington School of Law with a concentration in Environmental Law. When he’s not nerding out over the Endangered Species Act (his all-time favorite law), Tom is probably plunking the banjo, playing ping-pong with his wife, Jenna, or petting his cats, Fatty and Trim. Tom can be reached at tom@wildcalifornia.org.