Fresno’s premier awards ceremony for worst quotes and votes by local polluters and those who serve them—The Smoggies—is returning for a third straight year. Renowned for its sarcasm, lack of trigger warnings (sorry/not sorry, Young Dems) and many dairy cows in attendance (so many cows), nominees have a chance to take home the highly coveted Golden Inhaler for their 2023 performances.
Broadcast live before a select studio audience, The Smoggies will air on the Climate Politics radio show on Jan. 12 at 5 p.m. on KFCF 88.1 FM. The following quotes are just a few of the past year’s highlights in polluter politics as practiced in, around and on Fresno.
As a warmup for this year’s festivities, you’re invited to play a special, pre-show game of Smoggies mix-and-match. Here are some quotes. Below are the sources or related projects. Tune in on Jan. 12 to learn how well you do.
What they said:
“This is a sprawl project. This assumption just doesn’t make sense. It’s not a legally adequate environmental review. It needs an overhaul. Right now, it’s woefully deficient.”
“The doors are open to any company that wants to benefit from exploiting a low-income community with cheap land.”
“No populations were identified within the project area; therefore, it was determined that the project would not have a disproportionate adverse environmental impact.”
“The Dumna tribe of the Yokut Native Americans once called this home, living in harmony with the environment, and fishing for Chinook salmon in the San Joaquin River…Now, thanks to the efforts of a select group of the most respected builders, we believe it’s time to live in harmony.”
“Motivated by my strong belief in creating a healthcare system that is inclusive and accessible to all individuals in our region, I felt compelled to pursue a board seat.”
“The climate transition is fully under way, and there’s an intense need for open land to build green projects on.”
“And when you drive on this freeway, or this overpass, and you get to the top of it, slow down a little bit, look at the blue sky. I’m a man of faith, and I know that there is something after this, and those veterans that gave it all are looking down, and they are saying thank you.”
“This is just another tool in our toolbox to expand the availability of housing across our entire city…We’re laying the groundwork for the market to be able to develop.”
“So in essence, [the] ‘no net increase’ language would essentially stop us from being able to meet a lot of our climate goals in terms of transitioning to an increase in electric vehicles…In short, the conflict and zoning with neighborhood mixed use is going to potentially prohibit businesses down there from being able to clean and green their operations.”
“We are not here today to alienate any part of our community. However, if people in this community or anywhere else support the terrorist activity that occurred on Saturday in Israel, then I would question their allegiance to the United States of America.”
“A lot of that new technology can be sited in rural California…We met with Japan, and Japan has a real need for hydrogen.”
Who said it?
A. Politician
B. Developer
C. Bureaucrat
D. None of the above
Where is it?
1. American Avenue
2. Community Regional Medical Center
3. Downtown Fresno
4. Dubai, UAE
5. Eaton Plaza
6. Elm Avenue Rezone
7. Friant Ranch
8. Southeast Development Area
9. The Preserve
10. Veterans Boulevard
Hold onto your answers and tune into The 2023 Smoggies to see how well you did. The show airs on Climate Politics, Jan. 12, 5 p.m.–6 p.m., on KFCF 88.1 FM.
