Judge blocks Wal-Mart Supercenter in Yucca Valley
A San Bernardino County Superior Court judge has overturned approval of a new Wal-Mart Supercenter near Joshua Tree National Park because the project's environmental study improperly dismissed the impacts from the project's greenhouse gas emissions.
Thursday's ruling came in response to a lawsuit filed by the Center for Biological Diversity.
"The court agreed that Wal-Mart broke the law by refusing to even consider common-sense measures to reduce the greenhouse gas footprint of its latest big-box store," said Matt Vespa, senior attorney with the Center's Climate Law Institute, in a news release.
The lawsuit is one of a series of court challenges brought by the environmental group to reduce greenhouse gases from new development through the California Environmental Quality Act.
The court also ruled that the environmental study skirted measures to reduce ozone and dust pollution.
"Business-as-usual big box sprawl is devastating to our environment and communities," said Vespa. "California law requires Wal-Mart to take stronger steps to live up to its promise to reduce significant environmental impacts like global warming."
Wal-Mart officials couldn't immediately be reached for comment.
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