July 17, 2003
Contact: John Buse, EDC: (805) 677-2570
Peter Galvin, CBD: (707) 986-7805

ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS SUE TO PROTECT SAN FERNANDO VALLEY SPINEFLOWER

Plant Once Thought Extinct Now Found Only At Ahmanson & Newhall Ranch Sites

VENTURA, CA - Five environmental groups filed a lawsuit today against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ("Service") to secure protection for the San Fernando Valley Spineflower, a plant once thought to be extinct and now found only on two locations in southwestern California. The suit was filed by the Environmental Defense Center ("EDC") in the Washington, D.C. District Court on behalf of the California Native Plant Society, Center for Biological Diversity, Friends of the Santa Clara River, Heal the Bay, and Save Open Space/Santa Monica Mountains.

The San Fernando Valley Spineflower is a small, white-flowered annual that was once found in many locations in Ventura, Los Angeles, and Orange Counties. Until it was rediscovered in May 1999, the plant was believed to be extinct, with the last confirmed collection in 1929. Today, the San Fernando Valley Spineflower is known to occur only at two locations, both of which are planned for massive "new city" residential development projects - the Laskey Mesa area of the Ahmanson Ranch project in Ventura County, and on the site of the Newhall Ranch project in Los Angeles County. The primary threat to the Spineflower is habitat destruction.

Despite the strong evidence that the Spineflower is endangered and warrants protection under the Endangered Species Act, the Fish and Wildlife Service has not taken the required steps to protect the species. Instead, the Fish and Wildlife Service has acknowledged that the Spineflower deserves protection, but considers the species to be a "candidate" for listing. A candidate species is not afforded any protection under the Endangered Species Act, nor is there any timetable for listing.

In light of recent illegal bulldozing of Spineflower habitat and approval of the Ahmanson and Newhall Ranch developments, together with the Service's repeated failure to respond to the public's demands for compliance with endangered species protections, EDC and its clients had no recourse other than to file this lawsuit. Specifically, the lawsuit is seeks to move the Spineflower from perpetual candidate status
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to actual protected status under the Endangered Species Act. In addition, the lawsuit challenges the Service's internal policies that attempt to circumvent the statutory requirements of the ESA by designating species as "candidates" for listing.

"We can't leave the San Fernando Valley Spineflower in legal limbo while it is faced with extinction," said John Buse, Senior Staff Attorney at the Environmental Defense Center. "With this lawsuit, we hope to obtain real protection for the Spineflower before it's too late."

Peter Galvin California Director for the Center for Biological Diversity stated: "Rampant urban sprawl threatens not only the spineflower and hundreds of other imperiled species, it also threatens our cherished open spaces and the very quality of life that makes California such a desirable place to live. Protecting the spineflower and protecting our vanishing open spaces go hand in hand with ensuring the future well being of our communities."

EDC is the only nonprofit environmental law firm between Los Angeles and San Francisco. Since 1977, EDC has been working with community groups on environmental issues such as protecting water quality, preserving precious open spaces, saving species from extinction and guarding public health. To learn more, visit www.edcnet.org.

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