Point Reyes ranching plan faces review by key panel
Coastal Commission might decide to drop its support
In the latest showdown over the National Park Service's controversial plan to allow continued cattle ranching at Point Reyes National Seashore, the California Coastal Commission could decide this week whether or not to withdraw its support.
At issue is the park's recently adopted plan to extend leases for private cattle and dairy ranches that rent parkland for terms of up to 20 years. The plan also allows park staff to shoot some of the park's free-roaming tule elk to prevent conflicts with ranches over damaged property and competition for grazing forage.
A year ago, the California Coastal Commission narrowly voted to endorse the plan, but under the condition that park staff return in a year to provide detailed strategies on how it will reduce water contamination and other environmental impacts caused by the ranches.
After initially requesting a delay, the park service has submitted the strategies. The commission plans to review them on Thursday.
Should the commission withdraw its support, it does not have the ability to kill the park's plan because the seashore is managed by the federal government. However, the commission could, through its opposition, help galvanize public support against the plan or even tie it up for years in litigation.
While park staff declined to comment this week, park Superintendent Craig Kenkel wrote in a letter to the commission on March 24 that its plan was modified since the commission first saw it. The changes included a reduction in the amount of grazing land in the park, a reduction in the number of cattle and other livestock in the park and new environmental requirements for ranch owners.
These changes, Kenkel wrote, “address the Commission's concerns related to ranching and are supportive of the parties' goals to improve water quality and climate-related adaptations.”
Coastal commissioners expressed concern in March after the park asked to delay its update. Some commissioners considered withdrawing their support.