CoastWatcher

One of the most bothersome elements of land use decisions and determinations in California today is the extensive use of paid scientists (aka “biostitutes”) to support development and destroy natural resources while providing the illusion that the environment will be okay.

Why is it that developers’ experts never, ever, ever report that the proposed project will destroy wetlands, extinct endangered species or pave over environmentally sensitive habitats?  Has anyone ever heard a developer or his bought scientists declare that they are rapacious capitalists out to make a quick buck?  In all my years and countless of hours of public hearings, involving many thousands of projects, never once has any developer said anything other than:  “I’m an environmentalist and I would like to ’save’ this derelict property by constructing my sensitive vision…..blah blah blah”  You know the drill, stay on script…..

So now the worst kept dirty little land use secret is out in the official open:  Noaki Schwartz at AP is reporting that Tejon Ranch experts on endangered California condors were forced to sign agreements requiring they support the project.  Why isn’t this surprising?  Why aren’t we outraged?  So much for scientific credibility….

Of course all this would simply be much ado about nothing if public officials and decision makers didn’t rely on this bogus information and baseless assertions to approve so much development.  The Coastal Commission, for example, frequently ignores its own staff analysis in favor of the bought science submitted by developers which -incredibly- just happens to support their construction plans, whatever they are.

Hopefully the following story, as disconcerting as it is, will stimulate some discussion, or at least a more skeptical approach, amongst land use decision makers regarding future project analysis.

Business gets condor experts’ silence in land deal

By NOAKI SCHWARTZ

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jzWN96yd4XDHC9fF0LbrIqfUvURAD90SR9FG6

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Biologist Noel Snyder got an intriguing call from a development-company representative a day after it announced it was moving forward with plans to build nearly 3,500 luxury homes, condos and hotels on land used by the endangered California condor.

Would he like to make $3,000 for just one day’s work reviewing the company’s plan to safeguard the condor from the development?

There was just one catch: Snyder would have to sign a promise not to publicly criticize the Tejon Ranch Co. project. Read the rest of this entry »

Activists can’t stop bailout for Half Moon Bay — yet

MAY 23, 2008 3:00 AM (3 DAYS AGO) BY TAMARA BARAK APARTON, THE EXAMINER

HALF MOON BAY (Map, News) – A controversial bill to rescue Half Moon Bay from long-term financial strain is now one step closer to saving the city $18 million.

The legislation, authored by Assemblymember Gene Mullins, D-South San Francisco, would allow the city to avoid an $18 million payment to developer Charles “Chop” Keenan by allowing him to build subdivisions on two properties containing wetlands.

The deal between Keenan and city officials was struck in March as a way for the city to dodge bankruptcy due to a $41 million judgment it owed Keenan.

On Thursday, the state Assembly Appropriations Committee voted 9-4 in favor of the bill, AB 1991. It will likely go before a full Assembly vote next week.

The bill, however, is disheartening to environmentalists. Read the rest of this entry »

“While the specific circumstances leading up to this settlement are unique, passage of this bill will nevertheless create an unwanted precedent that may undermine the state’s legitimate role and responsibility in its coastal zone.”

-California State Assembly Appropriations Committee Legislative Analyst

As reported in both Montara Fog and Coastsider last week, the California Assembly Appropriations held their collective noses, hid their collective faces, and voted to allow the stink bomb legislation known as AB1991 to move to a floor vote of the entire Assembly, perhaps as early as this next week.

As CoastWatcher readers already know, AB1991 would allow construction of 129 houses on coastal wetlands in the City of Half Moon Bay, in direct contravention and violation of all known state coastal planning and environmental protection laws.

One positive aspect of the otherwise dismal proceedings came in the form of the Legislative Analysis report prepared for the meeting.  For the first time, the cover story of the City and developer — that the ’settlement’ allowing the houses on wetlands is ‘unique’ — was exposed as total hogwash, and that should Half Moon Bay suceed in eviserating environmental laws, every California city can be expected to seek the same special favors to solve the myriad of budget crises and sweetheart development deals that are commonplace up and down the coast.

And now it appears as though the ‘deal’ between the City and the would be Beachwood developer is even stranger.  The City said originally that it had included houses on wetlands on an adjacent property called ‘Glencree’ simply because the development wanted it.  Now it comes to light that the developer only recently acquired an option to purchase that property, meaning if AB1991 becomes law, his nest will have been feathered even further, thanks to the inept deal makers on the City Council.  For the latest, read Montara Fog.

““It is not an exaggeration to state that the general condition

of trees in the City of Carmel is deteriorating fairly rapidly,

nor is it an exaggeration to state that Carmel will not be

as attractive either to residents or to visitors within a fairly

short period unless signifi cant, municipally supported steps

are taken to reverse the tree decline where possible or alter-

natively to plant new trees of appropriate species as part of

an organized program on an ongoing, long term basis.”

-Barrie Coate, Aborist and nationally acclaimed expert on Monterey Pine and Coast Live Oaks.

According to a new Progress Report from Friends of the Carmel Forest, the native pine and oak forests of the central coast continue to decline and remain threatened. FCF is in its 18th year of working to protect these native coastal heritage forests.

Eco-Legislator Pedro Nava Is On the Case!

You may never had heard of Greka Oil & Gas Company.  You may never have heard of their oil drilling activities in the Santa Maria area of Santa Barbara County, California.  You wouldn’t be alone.

But little Greka Oil has a horrendous history of oil spills and has wracked up millions in civil and criminal fines, penalties and restoration orders since 2002, and certainly has given a black eye (excuse the pun) to more law abiding oil companies attempting to operate within the confines of environmental protection laws.

California State Assembly member Pedro Nava (D-Santa Barbara) has documented the entire mess on his website, and the totals are shocking:  Since 2002 Greka has apparently spilled more than 500,000 gallons of oil into creeks and property around Santa Maria.

Ed Note: As John Earl, Editor of the Orange County Voice, shows below, the for profit corporation Poseidon Resources Inc. hasn’t been honest regarding the cost or the environmental impacts of their proposed desalination project in Huntington Beach, Orange County, California. The very same can be said for Poseidon’s project in the City of Carlsbad, which was approved by the California Coastal Commission in November 2007 without any information, data or documentation regarding the eventual cost of the privately owned water, or the marine environmental or climate change impacts associated with the vague proposal. We only know that these will be the largest desal plants ever to be constructed in North America, with no precedent or guarantee they’ll work or ever produce affordable fresh water. It remains a mystery why so many SoCal public officials think Poseidon is such a great deal. These public servants favor massive, environmentally destructive, privately owned desal plants along the coast rather than simple, inexpensive water conservation measures for the obvious reason that the “Poseidon Dream” offers the possibility of continued rampant coastal development and suburban sprawl.

Poseidon’s Delay: Coastal Commission waits 2 years for desal answers

May 6, 2008 by ocvoice
By John Earl
OC Voice Editor

An environmental scientist for the California Coastal Commission says that the cost of water to be produced by a desalination plant approved by the city of Huntington Beach has been greatly underestimated by the developer and that proposed mitigation measures for its impact on ocean marine life are inadequate. Read the rest of this entry »

Barry Parr at Coastsider puts the wood to some of the  various spin, lies, excuses, misinformation and lobbying being rolled out by the City of Half Moon Bay in support of  AB 1991, their free fire environmental destruction legislation that would allow 129 houses on coastal wetlands.  Check it out here.