The Orange County Taxpayers Association (OCTax) participates in the debate on the Bolsa Chica wetlands.
Initially, our interest was in seeing restoration done with private money rather than taxpayers’ dollars. Later, we supported a taxpayer-friendly alternative: the use of off-site mitigation money from the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.
For this alternative to work, both sides of the debate must keep their promises. The private landowner has kept faith. It donated 150 acres to the public, sold 880 acres to the public at a discount, and committed millions of dollars to ecological improvements, all for approval to develop part of the non-wetlands portion of the property.
Regulators and environmentalists have not kept their promises.
n The Coastal Commission granted approval three times. Each time, commission staff came back to wring additional concessions from the landowner. Now, staff recommends reducing the developable area to 65 acres of the original 1,600-acre privately owned site.
n The environmentalists who forced concessions from the landowner to “save the wetlands” now fight the EIS/EIR plans to restore them.
n Eucalyptus trees were designated “environmentally sensitive” by the Department of Fish and Game. The private landowner must keep them, while the EIS/EIR for the state-owned land allows the trees’ removal. Why the double standard, if not simply to sabotage private property rights?
n The cost of the restoration is $100 million. Only $50 million remains of the $75 million from the port districts. Where will the extra money come from,the taxpayers? How was $25 million spent?
n A county EIR is already in place. Now, after 30 years of reviews, why do we need another EIS/EIR? Millions of dollars have been spent. Not one acre has been restored.
OCTax believes tax-supported programs should be “fair, understandable, efficient and good for business.” The Bolsa Chica process meets none of these criteria. It ignores private property rights; its endless studies are incomprehensible; it has wasted years and dollars; it ignores business interests.
Planning should end and restoration should begin. All agencies should accept the private development that is part of the plan.
Reed L. Royalty
President
Orange County Taxpayers Association
San Juan Capistrano
