[CPEO-MEF] Additional habitat urged for species of fairy shrimp

[CPEO Moderator <cpeo@cpeo.org>]

California
Wednesday, April 23, 2003
Additional habitat urged for species of fairy shrimp
Lawsuit prompted the proposal to add more protection for endangered San
Diego fairy shrimp.
By PAT BRENNAN
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

The San Diego fairy shrimp, a tiny crustacean that lives in seasonal
pools, should have 6,098 acres of critical habitat in Orange and San
Diego counties, federal wildlife officials proposed Tuesday.

The proposal, which includes 363 acres in Orange County, is a
significant increase from the habitat area declared in 2000. It offers
an added layer of protection for some, but not all, areas where the
shrimp might be found.

The reconsideration of the acreage was prompted by a lawsuit filed by
the Building Industry Association.

"Looks like the acreage has gone up significantly," said Rob Thornton,
an Orange County attorney who often represents developers on wildlife
issues.

The association's lawsuit contended that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service had not adequately considered the potential economic harm
resulting from the critical-habitat designation.

But Jane Hendron, spokeswoman for the agency, said the new economic
assessment should be ready in the next few months. The new acreage
amounts were released first.

The proposal adds four fairy shrimp sites in Orange County not included
before, among them Rancho Mission Viejo and Newport Banning Ranch. The
sites on Rancho Mission Viejo appear to be in areas already planned for
habitat preservation, a spokeswoman said. The effect on Banning Ranch
development proposals was not immediately known. Previously only one
site had been designated for Orange County, in Fairview Park in Costa
Mesa.

Meanwhile, an environmental group involved in critical habitat issues,
the Center for Biological Diversity, contends that the new proposal
covers too little habitat.

Fish and Wildlife avoided training areas on Camp Pendleton and at
Miramar Marine Corps Air Station in San Diego County, Hendron said.

David Hogan of the Center for Biological Diversity says many seasonal
pools exist at the two bases.

To view this article, copy and paste the following URL into your
browswer:
http://www2.ocregister.com/ocrweb/ocr/article.do?id=35996&section=LOCAL&subsection=LOCAL&year=2003&month=4&day=23

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~