Ecolex Logo
The gateway to
environmental law
Search results » Jurisprudence

Ballona Wetlands Land Trust v. City of Los Angeles.

Country/Territory
United States of America
Type of court
National - higher court
Date
Mar 21, 2012
Source
UNEP, InforMEA
Court name
Supreme Court of California
Language
English
Subject
Land & soil, Environment gen., Legal questions
Keyword
Environmental security Climate change
Abstract
Plaintiffs Ballona Wetlands Trust, Anthony Morales, Surfrider Foundation, and Ballona Ecosystem Education Project ("BEEP") had challenged the revised EIR with respect to project description, the analysis of archaeological resources, the analysis of sea level rise resulting from global climate change, and the finding of no significant impact on land use consistency. In addition, they challenged the award of costs to the defendants as prevailing parties. The court concluded that the revised EIR adequately discussed preservation of archaeological resources and sea level rise, and concluded that defendant BEEP's newly asserted challenges to the project description and the finding on land use consistency were beyond the scope of the trial court's jurisdiction after entry of judgment and issuance of a peremptory writ of mandate. In addition, the court held that the defendants the City of Los Angeles and the developer as prevailing parties were entitled to recover costs. On March 21, 2012, the California Supreme Court denied a petition for review of the Second District’s published opinion in Ballona Wetlands Land Trust. In denying review, the Supreme Court also denied the depublication requests of numerous environmental groups (including the National Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club, Center for Biological Diversity, and the Environmental Defense Center), and of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District.