EHL commented to the media on land use and endangered species policies.
The San Diego Union Tribune reported on how federal wildlife agency positions had changed in conjunction with visits to Interior Department appointees by development interests (“Federal regulators in San Diego muted after Newland Sierra developer lobbies D.C. power players,” August 26, 2018).
“The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has been pressured by the Trump administration to not follow the law and the science,” said Dan Silver, chief executive office with the Endangered Habitats League. “We’re in the midst of watching the potential breakdown of this agency.”
The Valley Roadrunner covered litigation by EHL and others against development projects that go against the County General Plan (“Lawsuits against Board of Supervisors might affect local large developments,” August 30, 2018).
“This approval goes against the General Plan, which focuses growth in Villages,” said Dan Silver, executive director of the Endangered Habitats League. “We also object to an unsound plan to address greenhouse gas emissions and in putting more and more people at high risk of wildfire.”
The San Diego Union Tribune covered the County’s assessment of a land use ballot measure that would require voter approval of major projects (“Housing measure to appear on 2020 ballot; report warns of dire consequences,” October 10, 2018).
Dan Silver, chief executive officer of the Endangered Habitats League, which was a major funder of the SOS initiative, said the impact report has deficiencies.
“In a couple ways, the report doesn’t provide a complete or objective analysis,” Silver said. For instance, he said, the costs of the elections are exaggerated because the county could group a number of planned amendments into one ballot question.
Silver said he expects the impact report will be used by the building industry and opponents as a marketing tool.
