L.A.'s Expo Light Rail Gets State Supreme Court Green Light

Nossaman Partner Robert Thornton was quoted in The Bond Buyer article "L.A.'s Expo Light Rail Gets State Supreme Court Green Light" regarding the California Supreme Court's ruling in favor of the Exposition Metro Line Construction Authority on environmental challenges that could have shut down the $1.5 billion second phase of the project.  The challenges heard by the Supreme Court were based on the state's California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).  As counsel to the construction authority, Mr. Thornton explained that the case revolved around two issues: the appropriate base line to measure traffic and air quality; and mitigation for neighborhood parking.

Mr. Thornton stated, "The court appreciated that the agency went the extra mile in analyzing the impact of the projects."  He continued, "The opponents were complaining of the potential for traffic delays -- and we are dealing with a project that is an alternative to the single-passenger automobile traffic."