Legal Challenge to Butte County General Plan 2030

The Butte County Board of Supervisors are not protecting water resources or complying with environmental law in adopting the General Plan 2030. BEC has been participating in the County's multi-year general plan update process. We have been actively involved in the public hearing process, providing extensive comments, and pointing out a number of deficiencies in the environmental impact report.  Despite our repeated appeals, Butte County's Guiding Principles for the General Plan 2030 have not been followed in basic ways.

Therefore, after numerous meetings and a two-hour long executive session, the BEC Board determined that the only viable option remaining was to file a legal challenge to the Butte County General Plan 2030, which we did on Monday, November 29.

BEC's goal is for the Board of Supervisors to adopt a general plan that protects water, a precious public resource, and the health and safety of the public, as required by State law. Citizens should not go without a viable general plan. We have outlined actions the County must take to remedy the problems, and the Supervisors should act now rather than later. The BEC Board has enlisted the services of Richard Harriman, a local land use attorney who is a strong environmental advocate. Where advocacy fails, litigation has shown to be very effective in forcing government agencies to comply with environmental law. When elected officials fail to consider the effects on the environment, we all suffer.

BEC's work to educate and advocate for protection of local land, air and water is never done. We face powerful opponents who care more for their bottom line than for the environment. We do this work because we know that without a healthy environment, we cannot have a healthy, sustainable community.

BEC depends on your ongoing support to operate, and we have received generous support since 1975. Please consider giving a Holiday Gift to BEC's General Fund (click here to donate to the General Fund) or to our new Litigation Fund (the form appears below) this December. To continue our work protecting our water, land and air we need your support. As always, your donations to BEC are tax-deductible and very much appreciated, however you decide to give.

Donate to the Butte Environmental Council Litigation Fund

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Updated: Dec. 7, 2010