In the Press

May 26, 2021

Today's Los Angeles Daily Journal featured a discussion about how the Biden and Newsom Administrations had joined forces on a massive plan to build wind turbines along the California coast in an article titled: "Turbine plan may generate more billable than electricity."

Contacted for her thoughts, Jennifer provided insights that were included in the article:

"Jennifer F. Novak, an environmental lawyer in Rancho Palos Verdes, said the public would not like the plan. 'For all the talk about weaning ourselves off fossil fuels, including natural gas, the problem is that all "sustainable" energy production -- like wind, solar, hydroelectric -- threatens the environment in different ways,' Novak said in an email. 'It's a matter of trade-offs.'

"Novak said that infrastructure would have to be resilient to climate change and rising sea levels.

"'I could see environmental challenges being brought under [California Environmental Quality Act], but also to ensure consistency with our plans and regulations to protect the coastline,' Novak said. 'The government could streamline or waive some of the environmental reviews, but not all. And a project like this could be tied up in planning and legal challenges for a long time.'"