California Attorney General Rob Bonta has filed a lawsuit against an Amazon-operated air cargo facility in the state over concerns it creates “toxic air pollution.”

Bonta asked the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to reconsider a dismissed motion challenging the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval of the Eastgate air cargo facility at San Bernardino International Airport in Southern California on the grounds that the FAA’s environmental impact statement was “flawed.” .

In February 2020, the California Department of Justice’s Office of Environmental Justice filed a lawsuit challenging approval of the project, but it was unsuccessful.

A press release issued Jan. 3 by the Attorney General’s Office of the California State Department of Justice says Bonta argued that the decision to approve the project, made in late 2019, conflicts with the law. in force.

He said the FAA granted the project approval despite “recognition that the project will add at least one ton of toxic air pollution per day to the South Coast airshed, already the most polluted airshed in the country, and despite the prosecutor’s objections. General and local community ”.

Already operated by Amazon seven days a week, the project is expected to reach full completion and operation within the next four years. Encompassing a 658,500 square foot warehouse, the project is expected to generate dozens of additional thefts and thousands of additional truck trips each day.

The facility is located near the community of San Bernardino-Muscoy in San Bernardino County, a community identified by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) as being disproportionately affected by pollution.

Bonta added, “It doesn’t matter who you are or how much money you have. You can’t cut corners when the health and well-being of our communities is at stake.

Amazon launched its domestic freight operation in the United States in 2015 and has experienced strong growth since then.

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