When the owner of a San Jose gas station wanted to expand his business by adding three pumps, he thought it would be relatively simple. Amir Shirazi filed an application with the city of San Jose. The city prepared a study–called a negative declaration and found that the project would have no significant effect on the environment.
What happened next is an example of the competition using CEQA, not to save the environment, but to delay or kill a project. It took 18 months and $500,000 to get the go-ahead to install the three pumps because of a challenge…from the gas station across the street.
California Forward’s Cheryl Getuiza explains.
Moe’s Gas Station in San Jose. (Photo Credit: Angel Cardenas)
CEQA in the 21st Century — a series of news stories and individual perspectives designed to educate and spark dialogue on CEQA as the California Legislature revisits the role the environmental law will play in the future of our economy.
