Environmental Groups Sue Riverside County Over Thousand Palms Warehouse Project

A proposed 1.2 million square foot warehouse project in Thousand Palms is drawing legal fire from two major environmental groups. The Center for Biological Diversity and the Sierra Club have filed a lawsuit against Riverside County, accusing it of violating state environmental law.

The groups claim the county’s approval of the project failed to fully consider the environmental impact, as required under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Their suit alleges that the county’s environmental review overlooked key concerns, including greenhouse gas emissions, potential threats to endangered species, and the broader impacts on the region’s limited housing supply.

“This massive project could worsen air pollution and destroy critical habitat for local wildlife,” said a representative from the Center for Biological Diversity. “The county needs to follow the law and take a hard look at the long-term consequences.”

The lawsuit demands that Riverside County reexamine the project’s environmental impact and reconsider moving forward until proper analysis is completed.

As warehouse development continues to expand across the Coachella Valley, this case could set a precedent for how similar projects are reviewed in the future.

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