Letters: CEQA gets the job done

Re “CEQA is polluted by abuse,” Column, March 11

George Skelton exaggerates the faults of the California Environmental Quality Act. Before CEQA was enacted in 1970, the environment was hostage to short-term gain. This created an unhealthy situation in which growth trumped everything. As a result, California was permanently damaged.

CEQA ensures that there is something left for posterity. Its benefits far outweigh its costs.

Christopher Cockroft

South Pasadena

Instead of rehashing the lament of developers, high rollers and lobbyists who want to trash CEQA, how about noting efforts by folks such as state Sen. Noreen Evans (D-Santa Rosa) who have constructive reform proposals on CEQA awaiting legislative action?

Let’s not throw out a really valuable baby — CEQA’s core protective function — with the red-tape bathwater just to make some developers’ lives easier.

Edward A. Mainland

Novato

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