EHL appeared in the media on fire management, about a trip to Washington, DC to protect Rancho Guejito, on the Foothill tollroad, and other issues.  



In a letter published by the Los Angeles Times on August 4, 2008, EHL Executive Director Dan Silver commented on stories about the high econonic and ecological costs of catastrophic wildfires in the West. “The article documents the billions of dollars it costs taxpayers to protect homes built in the wrong places. What can be done? The first step is to stop providing incentives for local governments to approve even more irresponsible development in high-risk areas. Right now, the state does not hold local governments, developers or homeowners responsible for firefighting costs, but rather subsidizes high-risk subdivisions through broad ‘state responsibility areas.’”

The North County Times reported on a trip to Washington, DC made by County Supervisor Bill Horn and EHL to gather support for acquiring the 21,000-acre Rancho Guejito. "Guejito is a compelling story," said Silver, leader of the nonprofit Endangered Habitats League. "We educated a lot of folks about the importance of preserving such a unique property and we got a lot of enthusiastic support."

The San Diego Union Tribune also covered the effort by Supervisor Horn protect the historic rancho and the positive reception in DC (“Horn takes Guejito preservation efforts to Washington,” May 27, 2008). "We played it like a tag team," Silver said. "The premise was, 'Here's two people that don't usually agree about things coming together for this cause.' "

When the US Fish and Wildlife Service announced that it would issue permits to the Foothill toll road to “take” endangered species, the North County Times turned to EHL for comment (“Feds say toll road won't trigger extinction,” May 5, 2008). Silver clarified that the Service's action does not negate the California Coastal Commission’s recent denial. "People need to understand: This is not in any way in conflict with the Coastal Commission decision." Silver also condemned the determination that the critically endangered Pacific pocket mouse would not be driven toward extinction. "The service is wrong, at least in regard to the pocket mouse."

In a Los Angeles Times story (“County toll road agency hails wildlife deal,” May 10, 2008) EHL was able to counter misleading statements by the toll road agency on the California Dept. of Fish and Game’s approval to alter streambeds. "Basically, it is a notification requirement where the applicant tells the department what they are doing, what the impacts are and these are the mitigations," Silver said. "It doesn't evaluate the need for the project nor does it look at alternatives of the project to protect resources." In contrast, the Coastal Commission has absolute protections for wildlife under the state's Coastal Act, an "entirely different standard," Silver said.

The North County Times covered the passage in Sacramento of legislation authorizing the placement on the ballot of a “quality of life” sales tax increase in San Diego County. Silver noted that habitat, water, the shoreline and transit all are wise investments." What this would do is allow San Diegans to invest in their future in a very broad way."

The Riverside Press-Enterprise (“Family sues to block Riverside County land swap with Anheuser-Busch developers,” April 24, 2008) reported on legal obstacles facing a proposed land exchange that would help assembly the Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan. "As I see it, the land was purchased for conservation, but it still is being used for conservation, just in a different way," said Dan Silver, executive director of the Endangered Habitat League.

In a letter to the editor in the Riverside Press-Enterprise (“Beware land transfer,” May 24, 2008), EHL warned of losing federal land already committed to the Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan if the recipient of a proposed land transfer, the Pechanga tribe, chooses to develop the property. “Thus, it is essential that if the transfer occurs and the open space is not maintained, the land reverts to federal ownership.”