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Environment

Calif. Coastal Commissioners Vote More For Conservation

The sand dunes in Ocean Beach are a key nesting area for the California Least Tern, an endangered bird.
Ed Joyce
The sand dunes in Ocean Beach are a key nesting area for the California Least Tern, an endangered bird.

2009 Rankings Measure Pro-Conservation Votes

The three San Diego County representatives that served on the California Coastal Commission in 2009 scored near or above average on a ranking of votes based on coastal conservation.

The 2009 California Coastal Commission Conservation Voting Chart is a combined effort of the Surfrider Foundation, League for Coastal Protection, Sierra Club, California Coastkeeper Alliance and the California Protection Network.

The chart measures the pro-conservation scores of the commission.

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The 2009 rankings examine 25 separate votes, which were selected in consultation with coastal conservation activists based on their likely impact on coastal resources and their potential to set statewide precedent.

One of the votes was a request by Surfrider Foundation, San Diego Coastkeeper and the Coastal Environmental Rights Foundation to revoke a coastal development permit for a desalination plant in Carlsbad.

“Overall, we’re delighted to see the raise in conservation voting score,” said Angela Howe of the Surfrider Foundation. “It was 38 percent in 2008 and now in this 2009 chart it’s risen to 66 percent, which is a pretty substantial jump for the conservation voting trend.”

The voting chart shows Esther Sanchez of Oceanside ranked fourth on the list with 75 percent, Patrick Kruer of San Diego ranked sixth with 68 percent and Ben Hueso of San Diego was eighth at 64 percent.