On December 17, 2019, Sean Hecht and Benjamin Harris of the Frank G. Wells Environmental Law Clinic submitted comments on behalf of the Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust to the Los Angeles City Attorney, conveying support for an ordinance establishing a health and safety buffer around oil and gas operations in the City of Los Angeles.
On March 23, 2020, Sean Hecht, Co-Director of the Frank G. Wells Environmental Law Clinic, wrote to Los Angeles city leaders to request that the city take immediate action to address the impact of COVID-19 and the city and state “Safer At Home” orders on public participation in planning processes in the city.
On December 26, 2019, Cara Horowitz and Julia Stein, counsel for amici California CEQA and climate policy experts, filed an amicus brief to the Court of Appeal of the State of California in a case concerning the World Logistics Center, a proposed 40 million square foot warehouse development in Moreno Valley, CA, that is estimated to draw 70,000 truck trips per day at full buildout.
Inefficient regulatory policies and poor construction management have caused the overall expenses and the duration of major public transit projects in California to climb at an alarming rate. This paper, the sixth in the Emmett Institute's Pritzker Brief series, examines some of the causes of planning and construction delays, identifies flaws in current construction policy and offers steps to be taken in order to prioritize public health and safety.
The California Coastal Commission is a state agency whose mission is to preserve and manage the state's coast. Its decisions regarding planning and development implement core state policies and determine individual legal rights. Both the perception and the reality of a fair, just, and accessible process is crucial to maintaining public confidence in the Commission's decision-making.
Emmett Institute faculty members submitted a comment letter on the U.S. Department of Energy’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Energy Conservation Standards for General Service Lamps. The authors argue that the Department of Energy’s efforts to narrow the reach of lightbulb efficiency standards would sacrifice consumer savings and environmental protection in a misguided attempt to thwart application of energy efficiency standards the market has already embraced, all in direct contravention of legislative mandates pursuant to the Energy Policy and Conservation Act.
Highly volatile and toxic pesticides are widely used in California agriculture to control soil pests for numerous high-value crops such as strawberries, almonds and citrus. The annual number of pounds applied to California fields in both 2015 and 2016 was higher than for any year since 1998. These pesticides present substantial health risks to farm workers, bystanders and nearby residents, as well as significant ecological impacts.
On October 23, 2015, EPA finalized emission standards for new coal-fired power plants under Section 111(b) of the Clean Air. The rule was intended to achieve reductions in pollution by setting emissions standards based on the level of emissions achievable by the best system of emission reduction. In late 2018, EPA proposed amendments that would weaken the 2015 Rule significantly.
On October 23, 2015, EPA finalized emission standards for new coal-fired power plants under Section 111(b) of the Clean Air Act. The rule was intended to achieve reductions in pollution by setting emissions standards based on the level of emissions achievable by the best system of emission reduction. In late 2018, EPA proposed amendments that would significantly weaken the 2015 Rule.
Improving the energy performance of existing buildings will be key to achieving California's efficiency and greenhouse gas emission goals. But owners of low-income, multifamily buildings face some of the greatest obstacles, including difficult access to capital, complex financing arrangements, and competing renovation needs. Residents in these buildings also experience a "split incentive" problem that limits owners' financial interest in upgrades that primarily reduce residents' utility bills.