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Lawsuit filed against plastic bag ban

February 3, 2012

A pro-plastic bag coalition filed a suit on Thursday in San Luis Obispo County’s Superior Court attempting to set aside the recently approved-county anti-plastic bag ordinance. [Tribune]

On behalf of the Save the Plastic Bag Coalition, attorney Stephen L. Joseph argues that the vote of the Integrated Waste Management Authority that enacted the ordinance should be set aside because the group did not complete an environmental impact report. The coalition also contends that the vote of Greg O’Sullivan, a member of the Templeton Community Services District board of directors, was not in line with his district which voted 3-2 to oppose the ordinance.

O’Sullivan disagrees noting that he also represents seven other incorporated cities in the area.

Critics of the coalition argue the group is funded by the plastics industry.

Stephen Joseph, the attorney for the coalition, contends his client is a nonprofit environmental group.

During the past five years, following in step with San Francisco in 2007, about a dozen cities and counties have adopted similar anti-plastic bag ordinances.

In addition to SLO County, the coalition also filed lawsuits against plastic bag bans in Marin and Santa Cruz counties, and the cities of Manhattan Beach and Long Beach.

The lawsuit is slated to be heard on March 22 in San Luis Obispo County Superior Court.


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I think Joseph is a professional anti bag litigator from up north. I wonder what ‘environmental’ organizations he belongs to. Bogus bum, a tool of the oil and plastic company combines.

Use your resusable fabric bags and don’t whine about the dangers; don’t we wash our clothes? Wash your bags!


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hotdog , I agree with the overarching theme of your post; but I do think that it is not a safe assumption that a majority of the anti-enviromentalist / pro plastic-baggers do wash their clothes.


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Lot of ‘plastic’ people on this site right now. They want FREEDOM by god, and are willing to sink our democracy and the planet in it’s name. They want freedom to drive huge cars, water their huge lawns, wasted whatever they want to waste in the name of ‘freedom’. Bunch of losers, who whine about their declining influence in a world becoming more aware of our miserable stewardship of scarce resources.


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I’m for banning plastic bags, or charging for them.


But I applaud anybody who feels strongly enough about an issue to take a public stand.


You go! And I’ll wave to you from the other side of the fence! Maybe we can put the margarita blender on top of the fence and share.


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Great post Mary. Many people don’t realize that while we may be on opposing sides surrounding one issue, we very well may find ourselves on supporting sides regarding other issues. It’s not so much that we all always agree in IMO as it is that we take action when we perceive a wrong doing. More than once I have found myself pleased as punch to find a motivated activist who previous aligned themselves with the opposition on a controversial issue. I agree, bring out the margarita’s and we will blend them on the fence post.


I do not support this plastic bag ban because they are replacing the bags with heavier plastic that will cause more damage to the environment rather than less. People are going to do the same thing with the heavier bags as they do with the current bags. A plastic bag is a plastic bag and 10 cents won’t make a difference in how they’re used. I absolutely believe that some politician has a deal with a manufacturer who is about to make a killing providing plastic grocery bags to the participating grocery outlets. The public is so easily manipulated, its so FRUSTRATING.


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Ahhhhh, it just gives me the warm fuzzies to see people bonding over their own professions of open-mindedness. What next? Are we all going to syncronize our menstrual cycles here on the CCN forum?


While you are drinking your celebratory margarita’s, patting yourself on the back, and singing kumbaya for having momentarily realized that you don’t always disagree with the same people about the same things – be sure to chase your first drink with a midol (or xanax).


Wow, what a revalation! That those who you normally diagree with might ocassionlly share the same opinion (or two) with you. I think I had that same revaltion once. When I was 13!


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Judging by the name calling and personal attacks that I’ve seen catapulted at and between some of the participants in these forums over the years, I’d say we’ve seen more than a few intolerant bloggers or perhaps they aren’t smart like you are and they just never thought about it or maybe they live by the moment or maybe they’re just naturally snarky like you are? Maybe you’re just having one of those day’s ? BTW, no we are not synchronized, I’m just a natural bitch.


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You are not alone in your natural bitchiness, Cindy. I was nice once, then I turned 2. ;) ;)


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Well, they’ll be singing a different tune once the margaritas start flowing….


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Was English always your strong suit? I hope not.


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Hope ya feel better now, Punkin’.


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@SLOChildrenAtPlay, while I disagree with both Mary and Cindy on many topics was this really necessary?


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“But I applaud anybody who feels strongly enough about an issue to take a public stand.


You go! And I’ll wave to you from the other side of the fence! Maybe we can put the margarita blender on top of the fence and share”


Yeah, I’ll bet that the plastic bag lobby will pay for those margaritas for you just as they’re funding the ‘Save the Plastic Bag Coalition’.


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How peculiar. I thought I had clicked a link for “The Onion” at first !


What is it with so many up in Templeton ? It’s like they never escaped the ’60’s …the 1860’s !


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Hopefully the plastic bags will find a new home over the heads of the people that got smoking banned from bars and etc. and the stop the bags people. Next they will stop mj for medical use. HaHa you are too late, you lose.


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You are so right on. Second hand smoke is the next best thing to sliced bread. Wake up you orifice.


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Actually I like first hand smoke. I quit smoking a few years ago after smoking 3 or 4 packs a day for 54 years. I love the smell of cigarette smoke. Next to sex I love smoking. Cigarettes and mj. (Wait, God first, wife second, fishing, third, then the rest. I’ll bet you do neither since you have no faults other than consentrating and worrying about other peoples orifaces. Shame on you!


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More people appear to want to maintain the proliferation of plastic bags than care about the poor quality of governance in SLO. Pathetic.


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Dang, I thought the “Save the Bag Coalition” was a “pro” Chief Soloman organization.


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Easy to confuse—it would be “Save the Douchebag” if it was for Solomon.


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You two just proved my point on the other thread. You call me mean or other things for not wanting to presume someone is guilty before facts, a trial or and independent investigation is made public. You give me so much cr@p for calling you people ‘radishes’. Hypocrites. Mary, I expect this from SSB but I’m disappointed in you. I almost started feeling that I was bit over the top with the ‘radish’ title, but thanks for confirming my original feelings on how you guys are handling this. I wonder if the hardware store will put your rope in a ‘plastic bag’ (on topic).


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Bah!


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Too bad James Brown is dead. He would have been able to revive “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag”.


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This is great news! May the Save the Plastic Bag Coalition prevail. Kudos to Stephen L. Joseph!


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Long live the fat cat corps and their lobbyist!! Oh goody, I hope they win again, they always do. Guess they couldn’t buy the politicians this time so now they’re working on the public.


We’re not running out of oil,,,,,oh wait this is the same group that said that plastic bags weren’t petroleum based, LOL.


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And Chief Dan Joseph!


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