Building Trades News

There is a constant fight in California, as in other States, over which development is good for us and which isn’t. Everything from schools to refineries are debated constantly by citizens in every area of the Country, either because they truly are concerned about the environment or because they just don’t want the project in their “backyard.” Too many times it is because they don’t want it near them and they don’t care about the good that the project provides to everyone else.

The Building Trades Crafts are especially interested in the outcomes of the development and environmental process because of the care that we have for the environment and because of the jobs that development brings. But, too often others, outside of the construction industry, including environmental groups, attempt to paint us as having only interest in our own jobs at the expense of the environment. They’re as wrong today as they have always been because we all have families and we all want a clean and healthy environment.

Over the last twenty years, Environment Groups and the Building Trades Crafts have clashed over what we believe has been their extremism opposing particular developments. Of course those claiming to be environmentalist believe that we oppose any building restrictions, but, there are many views on projects among Craft Union leadership.

Environment leaders will say that we should find common ground so that we can work together on the future of development and concentrate on the best development and the good paying jobs. But, that is what the Crafts have always done – we have supported projects that fulfill the environments process, work within community guidelines and build Union.

However, when we talk about working together and finding common ground there is already a starting place for environmental agreement. It’s the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
Since 1970, when CEQA was enacted by the California Legislature, all of us have had common ground in the law. With CEQA we have a starting and finishing place for every development that would have a “significant effect” on the environment.

The argument for or against and project is made during the review process as required by CEQA. When a project is determined to have a significant effect on the environment it triggers the requirements of CEQA, a ‘lead agency” is established. Usually, the city or county where the projects is to be constructed or a port authority or transportation agency and in some cases federal agencies like the Army Corps of Engineers, is the proper lead agency to start the process of review. Public meetings are held to accept testimony on the development of a Draft Environmental Impact Report and eventually a “Final Environmental Impact Report.” Only after the Final EIR is approved can the project move forward.

The CEQA process gives all affected and interested parties an open and in depth process to voice their concerns and to maintain legal rights as well. During or at the end of the process each can take any issues in regard to proper conduct of the CEQA process to court so that their concerns can be addressed. It is a fair process.

In looking for common ground with the Building Trades Crafts and construction industry, environmental organizations should be providing more training so that their members and branches will realize that we can work together if we respect the process, each other and use the California Environmental Quality Act as our starting and finishing point when we are assessing future projects. Our choices can’t be building versus the environment, but we should stand our ground to maintain our support for projects when they have met the standards we have established like CEQA. That should be our common ground.