World Logistics Center settlement reached

A Moreno Valley developer and a coalition of environmental activist groups on Thursday reached a $47 million settlement regarding what will be one of the world’s largest warehouse-distribution operations.

Developer Highland Fairview will invest up to $12.1 million in electric vehicles at the World Logistics Center, a 40.6 million-square-foot project approved by the Moreno Valley city council in 2015, according to multiple reports.

The agreement, which ends a five and a half years long legal battle between Highland Fairview and the environmental groups, also requires the developer to use solar electricity to generate at least half of each warehouse’s energy demand, set up electric vehicle charging stations and reduce the project’s impact on air quality, wildlife and area residents.

Highland Fairview agreed to other provisions, including helping local truck drivers pay for electric trucks, install solar panels on the project’s warehouse roofs, prohibit diesel vehicles in the project except for emergencies.

Iddo Benzeevi, president and chief executive officer of Highland Fairview, praised the agreement, “We appreciate the efforts of all the environmental groups that diligently worked with us to develop innovative strategies to support our goal of making the World Logistics Center the most sustainable logistics center in the world,” Benzeevi said. “We are proud of our collective and significant achievement of making the World Logistics Center the first net-zero (greenhouse gas) project in the nation and setting a new precedent for sustainable development.”

Environmentalists also praised the settlement.

“This settlement reflects significant work from the developer and Earthjustice’s clients to show the freight industry can electrify its operations and shift to zero emissions solutions,” said Adrian Martinez, staff attorney on Earthjustice’s Right to Zero campaign, in a statement posted on the organization’s website.

“The future of warehousing and how we move goods in this country is electric. It’s been a privilege to work with the environmental justice, health and conservation groups to forge the path forward on this zero-emissions vision.”

The World Logistics Center was first proposed in 2012. Shortly after it was approved by the council the project was hit by a series of lawsuits meant to lessen its environmental impact.