University Honors

With nearly one billion square feet of warehouse space, Californiaís Inland Empire (IE) has become the nationís e-commerce epicenter, handling 40 percent of the countryís goods. While the logistics industry has expanded significantly in recent decades and emerged as the regionís largest employment sector, its growth has contributed to poor air quality, community displacement, and labor issues. This project examines California Assembly Bill 98 (AB 98), a law intended to ìraise the standards for warehouse developmentî and improve local communitiesí ìquality of life.î My study draws on interviews with state and local stakeholders, including elected officials, city and county officials, state lobbying groups, business associations, and environmental and labor advocacy organizations, to identify the bill's strengths and weaknesses and assess its early implementation. My research also compares pre-AB 98 local IE municipal codes with the new law to assess how local policies align with the early implementation of general plan updates. My interview findings reveal five major themes across all stakeholder groups: (1) the appropriateness of AB 98ís statewide standard; (2) lack of collaboration during the legislative process; (3) unintended consequences; (4) local implementation challenges; and (5) impacts on the local IE economy. The comparative analysis supports the need for AB 98ís minimum standards in the IE, given lower thresholds and wide variation across jurisdictions. Additionally, analysis of early implementation shows that many jurisdictions did not meet the general plan update deadline. This research contributes to policy discussions on how state legislation can address the logistics industry's growing impacts while balancing economic growth, environmental sustainability, community protections, and labor rights in the IE.