California Bill Would Allow for More Industrial Site Development

Sacramento, Calif. -- A bill that would give California cities power to investigate vacant sites for possible contamination and force cleanups will be heard Tuesday, Aug. 21, by the Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee. The bill is sponsored by Sen. Martha Escutia, D-Los Angeles, and has raised a debate between environmentalists who believe the legislation is too loose and businesses who fear it is too strict. Many landowners do not want to know what is beneath their property for fear of the associated cleanup costs, so they have closed their property to potential buyers and developers.