Legal Challenges to Playa Vista
Having read “Lucas Strikes Back” by Mike Clough (Opinion, July 11), I must ask about his statement, “The scent of money coming from the last remaining wetlands in Los Angeles County overcame the objections of environmentalists.” He obviously was not speaking to the 80-plus environmental organizations that are supporting ongoing legal challenges to the proposed Playa Vista development. Major environmental organizations like the Sierra Club continue to oppose the destruction of the last remaining coastal wetland in Los Angeles.
Legal challenges in federal court remain unresolved. We live in a world-class city and the people of this fine place deserve a nature preserve where our children can learn the difference between a jumbo jet and a great blue heron.
JOHN DAVIS
Venice
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The Times seemed to think DreamWorks’ pullout of the environmental nightmare on one of the last remaining wetlands in California worthy of front-page status (July 2). What I found odd, however, was that no mention was made of one of the obvious reasons they backed off: DreamWorks was unable to get an exemption from the state water board for cleaning up the toxics left by the previous tenants.
The studio would have been built on a 100-acre toxic chemical leak from Howard Hughes’ old aircraft factory. Or how about the thousands of activists who spent hours attending hearings, town hall meetings, writing letters to Steven Spielberg and protesting every Friday night at the intersection of Lincoln and Jefferson? Might this have figured into the decision? This would have been Spielberg’s biggest flop.
DENISE MUNRO ROBB
Los Angeles
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