Despite all of its inefficiencies, environmentalists wanted a high-speed rail in California, to reduce the carbon footprint. Now, the same environmentalists do not want construction to begin on the project that would connect the Bay Area and Los Angeles because of more nagging environmental concerns.
California Governor Jerry Brown has proposed legislation that, according to the Los Angeles Times, “would prohibit a court from issuing an injunction or other stop-work orders unless those filing the lawsuit can show their damages substantially outweigh the harm to the state and those employed by the $6-billion initial phase of the project.”
According to the Los Angeles Times, the Sierra Club and the National Resources Defense Council:
have notified Gov. Jerry Brown that they strongly oppose his proposals to significantly diminish the ability of environmental lawsuits to stop or delay the California high speed rail project” because doing so would “water down the California Environmental Quality Act.
These environmental organizations think Brown’s actions would set a precedent that could be used to undermine their agenda, but their actions reveal that environmental organizations care more about retaining and wielding their power than anything else.