LOS ANGELES : Conservation Voters Endorse Hall, Chick

The Los Angeles chapter of the League of Conservation Voters has endorsed city Fire Capt. Lyle Hall and government affairs consultant Laura Chick in their respective campaigns for City Council seats.

Iylene Weiss, the group’s acting president, said Tuesday that Hall won its blessing because he opposes using the heavily Latino 7th District, which encompasses the northeast San Fernando Valley, as a “dumping ground” for the rest of the city.

“He feels the need for environmental justice in the district,” she said, adding that the district has three garbage dumps, including the controversial Lopez Canyon dump. “Wherever populations of color are seems to be where dumps get put.”

Weiss said the league endorsed Chick, a candidate in the 3rd District, which covers the southwest Valley, because “she seems to have a fresh approach on development. Part of that would be her concern for ridgelines.” Chick also pledged, if elected, to educate local constituents about water conservation and other environmental measures, Weiss said.

The league, which is the political arm of a statewide array of environmental groups, has not decided on which local races to concentrate yet, Weiss said. But in the past, the group has contributed money and volunteers to a number of municipal candidates, including Councilwoman Ruth Galanter.