State Panel Agrees to Help Purchase Wetlands
A state panel agreed Thursday to pitch in $1 million to help buy 905 acres of wetlands from a developer to create a vast nature preserve near Huntington Beach.
The State Coastal Conservancy, which approved the allocation, said the contribution brings to about $67 million the amount pledged to buy the wetlands in Bolsa Chica.
The ultimate cost of the land--and whether a public purchase is feasible at all--probably will not be determined until later this year. Scientists will gauge the extent of the environmental damage left by years of oil drilling. The final cost is expected to near $70 million.
The vote Thursday is the latest act in the unfolding struggle over the future of Bolsa Chica, one of the most extensive wetlands left on the West Coast.
The purchase of the 905 acres would remove the land from development. The Koll Real Estate Group intends to build up to 2,400 homes on a nearby mesa.
“When restored, the Bolsa Chica wetlands will become one of the most important natural environments in Southern California,” said Penny Allen, chairwoman of the Coastal Conservancy.
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