Oct 2 - CA Supreme Court Denies Petition, Upholds Marin County Bag Ruling

Today the California State Supreme Court denied a petition for review by attorney Stephen Joseph. Joseph, who represents the Save The Plastic Bag Coalition, was attempting to overturn the ruling from the Court of Appeals regarding Marin County’s single-use plastic bag ordinance.

In February of 2011, Joseph sued Marin County on the basis that it failed to comply with CEQA requirements by not preparing a full Environmental Impact Report at the time it adopted its ordinance. On September 27, 2011, California Superior Court Judge Duryee disagreed and upheld the ordinance. The coalition appealed the decision.

In June of 2013, Justice William R. McGuiness affirmed the original ruling in the Court of Appeal, which upheld Marin’s ordinance. He also ordered Joseph to pay Marin County’s court costs. Joseph then filed the petition to review the decision in the state Supreme Court.

In a decision that finally puts the matter to rest today, the Supreme Court issued its five word statement: ‘Petition and Pub. request(s) denied,’ and added under case status: ‘case closed.’

Marin County was one of the first to stand up against pressure from the plastics industry and adopt a plastic bag ordinance. Now, over 80 communities and counting are covered under similar ordinances aimed at curbing the economic and environmental costs of single-use plastic bags.

Find out how to help your community ban the bag.