Sander Kushen, sander.kushen@sierraclub.org
BEAUMONT, Calif. — In the most recent in a series of legal victories against unchecked warehouse development in the Inland Empire, the Sierra Club secured a comprehensive settlement Tuesday requiring rigorous environmental protections for the proposed Beaumont Pointe warehouse and distribution center. The massive, 5 million-square-foot facility will be built in the Badlands near Beaumont.
Sierra Club’s San Gorgonio Chapter sued to challenge the City of Beaumont’s approval of the warehouse under the California Environmental Quality Act, citing failures to protect sensitive habitat and prevent pollution from the estimated 16,000 daily truck trips that will come to and from the warehouse.
“The Inland Empire has become ground zero for warehouse development in California, with residents suffering some of the worst air quality in the nation,” said Mary Ann Ruiz, Chapter Chair at the San Gorgonio Chapter. “While the proliferation of warehouses remains a major threat, today’s settlement will alleviate many of this project’s harms. Elected leaders in Beaumont, be on notice—developers of future projects should be held to these same standards.”
The settlement includes aggressive timelines requiring the warehouse’s medium and heavy-duty truck fleets to become completely electric and zero-emission. The settlement also requires:
- The buildout of enough solar panels to meet 100% of the electricity needs of the entire site, including building operations and EV charging;
- A donation of approximately 230 acres of the project's land to protect sensitive habitat;
- A $123,000 contribution to the San Bernardino Valley Audubon Society for wildlife conservation; and
- Noise and light pollution reduction measures, including a perimeter of tall evergreen trees and strict lighting controls.
Today’s settlement includes some of the strongest clean fleet terms yet achieved by the Sierra Club, matched only by the Club’s recent settlement with the Compass Danbe warehouse project.
“We’re on a winning streak in our fight against irresponsible warehouse development,” continued Ruiz. “Our legal victories are shaping the future of sustainable development in California and across the country.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.