For Immediate UseContact: Garrison Frost
February 7, 2008(323) 951-9620

Sacramento, CA – Audubon California today celebrated the California Coastal Commission’s finding late last night that the proposed Orange County Foothill-South (241) toll road is inconsistent with the federal Coastal Zone Management Act. The decision strikes a serious blow to a controversial plan that would have put at risk more than 20 sensitive species of birds and wildlife, as well as thousands of acres of irreplaceable natural landscape.

Moreover, in a horrible precedent, the proposed toll road would also cut through – and rendered unusable – San Onofre State Beach, one of the state’s most popular state parks.

“Today’s decision by the California Coastal Commission is heartening in so many ways, not the least of which is the continued protection of Orange County’s natural treasures,” said Glenn Olson, executive director of Audubon California. “Thankfully, the commission understood that the trade-off in terms of birds, wildlife and habitat was just too great to allow this project to move forward.”

Throughout the certification process, Audubon California and other groups took great care to publicize the potential damage that the toll road would have caused to birds, wildlife, and habitat in the project area. For instance, the toll road plan would cut right through the Southern Orange County Important Bird Area (IBA), one of 150 sites in California designated by an international coalition of experts as being particularly valuable. It would also run through a large portion of the 1,200-acre Donna O’Neill Conservancy, created in 1990 to mitigate development in the region.

The rapidly diminishing coastal sage scrub in this region is habitat to roughly 50 percent of the remaining global population of San Diego Cactus Wren, and up to 25 percent of the remaining U.S. population of Coastal California Gnatcatcher, which is on the federal endangered species list. In all, the area hosts more than 20 sensitive species, and even more sensitive wildlife species.

“Our hope is that now the proponents of the toll road will understand that there is a clear alternative that will mitigate traffic and at the same time preserve the birds, wildlife and habitat that make this area so unique,” added Olson.

About Audubon California

Audubon California is dedicated to protecting birds and other wildlife and the habitat that supports them. With more than 50,000 members in California and an affiliated 48 local Audubon chapters, Audubon California is a field program of Audubon. This relationship links Audubon California to a national network of community-based nature centers and chapters, scientific and educational programs, and advocacy on behalf of areas sustaining important bird populations, engaging millions of people of all ages and backgrounds in conservation.

More information is available at www.ca.audubon.org.