Maui’s County-wide plastic bag ban goes into effect January 11, 2011. No EIS has been required. Here’s what they are hiding:
THREE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORTS HAVE BEEN ISSUED
From www.SaveThePlasticBag.com
LOS ANGELES COUNTY: In 2009, Los Angeles County issued an Initial Study and determined that banning plastic bags may have a significant negative effect on the environment and that an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) must therefore be prepared. On October 28, 2010, the County issued its Final EIR. On November 16, 2010, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors adopted an ordinance banning plastic bags and imposing a 10-cent fee on paper bags.
The Los Angeles County EIR is a very large document (40 MB). Click here to download it.
Los Angeles County determined, based on the EIR, that even with a 10-cent paper bag fee "the cumulative indirect GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions resulting from implementation of the recommended ordinances will have the potential to result in significant unavoidable impacts." The County further "determined that the incorporation of mitigation measures [such as promoting the use of reusable bags] is not expected to reduce the potential indirect impact of the recommended ordinances to GHG emissions below the level of significance." THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE HAVE BEEN SAYING ALL ALONG!!!
Click here for a two-page summary of the Los Angeles County EIR.
CITY OF SAN JOSE: San Jose has issued its Final EIR. On December 14, 2010, the San Jose City Council adopted an ordinance banning plastic carryout bags and imposing a fee on paper bags. The initial paper bag fee is 10 cents. The paper bag fee automatically increases to 25 cents in 2014. The City determined in the EIR that a 25 cent paper bag fee is necessary to prevent the ordinance from having a net negative environmental impact, because paper bags are worse for the environment than plastic bags. Simply switching from plastic to paper bags is environmentally harmful. AGAIN, THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE HAVE BEEN SAYING ALL ALONG!!!
CITY OF SANTA MONICA: Santa Monica issued an Initial Study and determined that banning plastic bags may have a significant effect on the environment. In June 2010, Santa Monica issued its draft EIR.
CITY OF PALO ALTO: Palo Alto has agreed to prepare an EIR before banning plastic bags at any more stores. (Its present ban affects only four stores.)
GREEN CITIES: Green Cities California has published a Master Environmental Assessment to assist cities and counties in preparing their EIRs.
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