“A substantial positive impact”?
Appendix C of the Tejon Ranch California Condor Conservation and Management Plan prepared for Tejon Mountain Village LLC and TRC by Bloom Biological concludes with the following:
… the author and the Condor Panel believe that implementation of the plan proposed in this report would have a substantial positive impact on the long-term survival and recovery of condors in Southern California.
Such a statement brings to mind a recent OnEarth Magazine article in which environmental consultant Robert Moran was interviewed. Moran used to consult for big mining companies, and now he works with the nonprofits fighting against them.
It’s a kind of natural progression you see in a lot of scientists. As you mature, you look a bit more carefully at the consequences of what you’re doing. When I said controversial things about projects I was working on, the companies would put them in reports and lock them in a safe somewhere, and they’d never see the light of day. I got tired of that. It was clear that the public-interest side was being outgunned time after time. So I did make a conscious effort to switch sides.
How to help California condors
On Monday, October 5, the Kern County Board of Supervisors will decide the fate of the condor in the southern San Joaquin Valley.
The Center for Biological Diversity has set up a link for you to send a letter to the Kern County Board of Supervisors to stop Tejon Mountain Village.
You can voice your opposition to this development to the Kern County supervisors and ask them to deny the plan as proposed and get the development out of condor critical habitat:
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2167/t/5243/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=1519
For more information, visit:
Image source: Wikimedia commons.
About Rhishja Cota-Larson
A sickening abuse of power. When will America finally understand that second rate actors make second rate politicians?
Projects like this on the surface will not help the condor. Of course more details woulkd be appreciated.
Speaking of surface…what is the area footprint of the impacted area (building support roads)versus the set aside area on the private property in acres? Also has the developer granted conservation easements to the public good for these acres?
Regardless of the answer….a poorly located project can damge the condor’s recovery.
tks Fv
de area to be On articles like this I always like to see These things alwa
Get a life! When are you people going to start thinking about humans before vultures? Not all species are meant to live forever.
“Take” under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act can mean more than just killing an individual of a species (in this case, a condor). For the HCP, the obtained “take” permit is to allow the “harassment,” i.e., incidental interaction between human and condor that causes nest abandonment, and only allows 3 “takes” over about 30 years. The “take” permit explicitly does not allow the killing of an individual condor.
TMV does not have wind farms, and there are no wind farms on Tejon Ranch Company property. The wind farms are already in existance in the Tehachapis, so that is a moot point for the HCP. There is an agreement in the HCP that specifically forbids wind farms as part of TMV or any other endeavor on the Ranch in the future.
Just want your readers to have the full story.
Projects like this on the surface will not help the condor. Of course more details woulkd be appreciated.
Speaking of surface…what is the area footprint of the impacted area (building support roads)versus the set aside area on the private property in acres? Also has the developer granted conservation easements to the public good for these acres?
Regardless of the answer….a poorly located project can damge the condor’s recovery.
tks Fv
de area to be On articles like this I always like to see These things alwa
From the author:
Thank you for your comments.
Fair Trade – I agree with you on both points.
Fv – Tejon Ranch Company’s PR site is located at http://www.tejonpreserve.com/index.php … the “Historic Agreement” spin machine is prominently displayed. Pretty clever, eh?
crankpin – the topic of wind farms vs. individual wind turbines is already addressed in the article. Individual wind turbines will be allowed as part of the project – therein lies the loophole.
crankpin – We have done our homework. The first condors that will die on Tejon Ranch from prop turbines will probably be from the new PDV Wind Farm. Tejon Ranch owns some of the land in upper expanse of this project. Prop turbines will be soon spinning on the ranch. Tejon Ranch has entered into the Prop wind turbine wind business and few are aware of it.
Fair Trade said on October 2nd, 2009 at 10:09 am..
“A sickening abuse of power.
When will America finally understand that second
rate actors make second rate politicians?”
GOOD ONE, Fair Trade !!!
O..soooo RIGHT !!!
CHEERS