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Developers need a thorough environmental impact study

On Behalf of | Apr 15, 2020 | Development |

There is more to California’s environment than just the air, water and soil. Developers may focus on these three factors as they obtain an environmental assessment. The problem is that if they forget to account for the potential impact on ecosystems and local animal populations, they could end up with expensive delays and could end up having to stop a project all together.

For example, a California judge recently blocked continued work on a development consisting of around 270 acres. The judge noted that the development company failed to account for fact that the project will interfere with the area’s mountain lions and western pond turtles. Moreover, the development covers one of the last avenues for these and other animals to move from the inland to coastal mountains and vice versa. 

The development is in the Santa Ana mountains and western Riverside County, which is prime real estate here in California. The development company has been ordered to go back and conduct a better environmental assessment that puts much more focus on how the project impacts the local animal populations, including the mountain lions, which could soon end up on the state’s endangered species list. This will undoubtedly have an impact the financial future of the project.

An argument could be made that had the property owner taken the time and money to conduct a more thorough environmental impact study from the beginning, it would not be in this position now. It would more than likely be easier to address any issues such as those indicated above at the beginning rather than after work on a project has already begun. Area developers may want to work with an experienced attorney to help ensure they obtain an assessment that covers all possible environmental topics that could affect their projects.