Over the past decade, new legislation has weakened higher impact review of Developments of Regional Impact (DRI) at city, county, regional, and state agency levels. Departments, divisions, and other offices previously responsible for thorough analysis of environmental impact have been packed by gubernatorial board appointees who possess apparent conflicts of interest, owing to their private-sector ownership of major development corporations requiring permits to destroy wetlands, estuaries, mangrove forests, and other sensitive ecosystems.
DECF supports rigorous, independent higher impact review of DRIs. To achieve that review, local and state governments should require developers of DRIs to pay local and state governments for services rendered.
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