Trump and unlikely Democrat join forces to lay siege on California environmental agency
President Trump and California Governor Gavin Newsom have formed the unlikeliest of alliances in vowing to dismantle the California Coastal Commission.
President Trump and California Governor Gavin Newsom have formed the unlikeliest of alliances in vowing to dismantle the California Coastal Commission.
The environmental group, that preserves the 840 miles of California coastline, has been instrumental in limiting development and keeping public access open for years.
Now, the commission, known as CCC, is under siege by a host of critics that have been galvanized by the recent spate of wildfires that killed 29 people in January.
Detractors fear the commission will now play an active role in the speed that those affected can rebuild their homes near the shoreline, according to the The New York Times.
President Donald Trump has been open about his disdain for the group, saying that he would not let them get away with their antics.
First Buddy Elon Musk also chimed in on the organization, saying that it should not even exist.
The new administration has even threatened to hold back on federal aid related to the recent Los Angeles wildfires unless the state actively defunds the agency.
Surprisingly, Democratic Governor Newsom has also came out and attacked the commission in January of this year.
President Donald Trump has been open about his disdain for the group, saying that he would not let them get away with their antics
The environmental group, that preserves the 840 miles of California coastline, has been instrumental in limiting development and keeping public access open for years
He issued an executive order to cut red tape and directed the CCC to not get in the way of permitting requirements following the wildfires.
He said: As the state helps the Los Angeles area rebuild and recover, we will continue to remove barriers and red tape that stand in the way.
We will not let over-regulation stop us from helping the LA community rebuild and recover.
The threats from across the political aisle has left environmentalists worried who consider protecting the shoreline a vital part of Californias culture.
Speaking with The Times , they said dismantling the agency would endanger rare ecosystems and lead to high-rise towers that would destroy the coast.
Staff met earlier this month for an three day meeting in Santa Cruz, and according to the outlet all seemed uneasy.
Between talks of oil pipelines and lithium batteries, the Times report that those at the meeting spent their time defending their work.
Those in attendance made note of the mounting pressure on them and criticized what they described as false narratives and misinformation.
Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom has also came out and attacked the commission in January of this year.
The commission is under siege by a host of critics that have been galvanized by the recent spate of wildfires that killed 29 people in January, seen here
Susan Lowberg told those that had gathered: We are under complete assault. We need help.
Those on the commission say they are being wrongly portrayed as throwing up roadblocks to rebuilding communities.
Linda Escalante, a commissioner, added: We’re not getting in the way of the advancement of society. We’re really just doing our very best to move things forward.
The CCC was created in 1972 after voters approved a measure to maximize public access to the shoreline. Its protections were established by the Coastal Act.
Mark Gold, an environmental scientist with the Natural Resources Defense Council, told The Times: In Malibu, if a billionaire’s house is on the beach, any person can go sit in front of that person’s house and go enjoy the ocean, and that’s thanks to the Coastal Act. It’s something I don’t take for granted.
The commission has long proved to be a thorn in the side of Trump, who tussled with them over his construction of golf clubs in the state.
In 2006, he placed a 70-foot high flagpole with a huge American flag at his club in Rancho Palos Verdes.
Trump battled the commission for years after he decided to only get permits after he put the pole up.
The commission has sparked the ire of both Donald Trump and Elon Musk in the past
The CCC was created in 1972 after voters approved a measure to maximize public access to the shoreline
In January he said: I’ve dealt with the Coastal Commission for a long time and they are considered the most difficult in the entire country.
We cannot have them play their games and wait 10 years to give somebody a permit. In fact, I’m going to override the Coastal Commission.
Besides Trump, they have also antagonized Musk and his company SpaceX after the CCC denied a request to increase rocket launches from the coast.
According to The Times, it proved to be a personal matter for some on the commission, calling Musk a bigot.
SpaceX sued the agency, accusing it of political discrimination and a federal judge said that the company had failed to establish it was a victim of bias.
Newsom sided with Musk and his rocket company, saying the commissioners should have based their decision on the permit alone.
Speaking on his new podcast, he said: I literally said, "I’m with Elon Musk attacking the Coastal Commission". I was very vocal about it. It was unacceptable.
Complaints have arisen in recent times over just how much jurisdiction they actually have, with the coastal zone sometimes stretching as much as five miles inland.
Legislators in The Golden State now look to be cracking down on their powers, with bills being proposed to amend the Coastal Act.
Republican Kevin Kiley brought forward a bill to speed up coastal activities and effectively reel in the commission.
He said: The California Coastal Commission is simply out of control and has veered far from its purpose of protecting the coast.
From blocking SpaceX rocket launches to obstructing fire prevention projects, the Commission has repeatedly threatened the safety of Californians and weakened our national defense, while needlessly undercutting innovation and economic progress.
The need to rein in the Commission has become urgent as we face the challenge of rebuilding Los Angeles following the fires.
Environmentalists stick by it, telling The Times that the work of the CCC is vital to the state.
Jennifer Savage, California policy associate director at the Surfrider Foundation, said: The Coastal Act is a hugely important thing for all Californians and all people who come to California, and it should not be sacrificed to solve other problems.
Currently the federal government provides around 10 percent of the commissions total budget, which totals $35 million.