Litigation

If the lack of funding doesn't kill it, lawsuits in northern, southern, and now central California might just do it. California Watch analyzes the lawsuits facing the CA High Speed Rail Authority in the three regions of the state.

Environmental justice advocates have been able to do in court what oil companies unsuccessfully attempted at the polls in November: deal a severe blow, if only temporarily, to CA's landmark climate law AB 32 by challenging the cap & trade provision.

A U.S. Court of Appeals has upheld a 2008 District Court ruling allowing a regional air quality district to manage land use for the improvement of air quality. CA's Central Valley Air Dist. now has a lawful Indirect Source Review or sprawl fee rule.

Arlington County's litigation of construction of three High Occupancy Toll lanes based on civil rights violation (because of exposure to air pollution of those living near I-95/395) has prompted the bi-partisan wrath of 2 of VA's top state senators.

The perils of drinking and driving have been well documented - but what of drinking and riding the subway? While the latter only endangers oneself for the most part, crashes can still happen - in this piece, a $2.3 million award was overturned.

At its Dec. 3 meeting, the CA HSR Authority board members unanimously voted to 'decertify' the program EIR to comply with a judge's order in a suit brought by Peninsula cities and rail and environmental nonprofits over the corridor to the Bay Area.

The CA Attorney General wants cities to take their housing obligations seriously - so much so that he has joined a 2006 lawsuit against the Alameda County suburb of Pleasanton over a 'housing cap' of 29,000 units approved by its voters in 1996.

One down, nine to go - that's how many hwy projects Gov. Schwarzenegger wants exempted from environmental review in order to be 'shovel ready' for the Obama stimulus. Hwy 50 was settled to the delight of enviros who negotiated a big win for transit.