NEWS BRIEFS : Lawsuit Filed to Block Proposed L.A. Prison
Los Angeles city officials, Eastside politicians and activists have filed a lawsuit to block construction of a 1,450-bed prison facility on a 20-acre site next to the Los Angeles River.
The suit contends that Eastside neighborhoods have more than their share of jails. It alleges that the state Department of Corrections violated state guidelines by ignoring environmental considerations concerning the proposed prison. Although an environmental impact report was approved for the site, the suit argued that the report was inadequate because it ignored the impact on the character and social fabric of the surrounding neighborhoods.
The suit was joined by the Coalition Against the Prison, Mothers of East Los Angeles, Los Angeles City Council members Gloria Molina and Richard Alatorre, Assemblywoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-Los Angeles) and Sen. Art Torres (D-Los Angeles).
A spokeswoman for the state Department of Corrections said the suit will add unnecessary expenses and delays to a much-needed prison project.
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