As voting begins for the November general election, voters are being asked to weigh in on California’s Proposition 45. Before you cast your vote, it’s important to know what’s at stake for Tahoe.
If approved, Prop 45 would weaken the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the law requiring developers to disclose and address any environmental impacts from their projects before breaking ground. CEQA has protected Californians from unintended and avoidable environmental consequences since 1970.
Prop 45 would reduce environmental review requirements for a broad range of projects, including housing, transportation, water, health, and energy developments. It would also limit the alternatives that must be considered when designing projects and put new restrictions on how courts review project approvals.
Those changes mean less protection for the natural environment, and less opportunity for the public to get involved. Californians need housing and infrastructure, but we also need safeguards that ensure projects are built responsibly and with community input.
Tahoe benefits from a unique combination of regional, state, and federal environmental protections that preserve its clear water and natural beauty while accommodating thoughtful growth. That “triple backstop” has protected this place we call home for decades while other beautiful lakes have suffered from declining water quality and shoreline degradation. Proposition 45 would change this system, which ensures development does not come at the expense of our natural surroundings.
Keep Tahoe Blue has joined a broad coalition opposing Prop 45 because it would reduce oversight of projects with significant environmental impacts while providing no guarantee of lower housing costs or utility bills.
For the sake of Lake Tahoe and communities throughout California, Keep Tahoe Blue urges a NO vote on Proposition 45.
Darcie Goodman Collins, PhD
CEO, Keep Tahoe Blue