Professor Frank Comments on Ballot Initiatives for Greenwire

Professor of Environmental Practice Richard Frank ’74 was quoted in a Greenwire article focusing on some of California’s November 8 propositions with environmental implications. 

Frank comments on Proposition 53, an attempt to derail Governor Jerry Brown’s plan to build a pair of tunnels that would divert water south around the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. "The proponent of Prop. 53 has been pretty clear about his intention to stop the twin tunnels project," said Frank. "The unknown question is: what are the future projects that would come under it?"

Proposition 64, which would legalize recreational use of marijuana, could have environmental implications if it discourages illegal cultivation practices that have often resulted in unregulated water diversion, overuse of pesticides, and other environmental problems, Frank said.  "The question I have is, will the financial incentives be such that there will still be incentives for people to grow marijuana illegally? It's unclear to me whether they're going to be able to enforce that."

Proposition 65, Frank said, “is a rather cynical effort by the plastic bag industry to confuse and manipulate the electorate” with a goal of nullifying the California Legislature’s 2014 statewide ban on single-use plastic bags.

Frank is a leader in the field of environmental law and the founding Director of the California Environmental Law and Policy Center at UC Davis School of Law.