Is Economic Development for the Birds? : Rather bravely, Gov. Wilson intervenes in gnatcatcher controversy

Gov. Pete Wilson put some of his Administration’s environmental stripes on the line last month when his undersecretary of resources made a dramatic appearance before the state Fish and Game Commission. Undersecretary of Resources Michael Mantell at the last moment helped tip the balance in the commission’s decision to deny endangered species protection to the California gnatcatcher.

The commission said that the arguments for protection weren’t convincing. But it also said it would reconsider protection if a forthcoming Wilson Administration plan to save coastal sage scrub habitat failed.

The commissioners too were sticking their necks out some. They disregarded the advice of their executive director, who forecast legal trouble if the commission was swayed by the governor’s proposal rather than deciding the issue solely on the scientific data.

As for Wilson’s move, it was a case study in the skillful exercise of executive leverage. He promised to work with developers, environmentalists and various public officials. They would try to agree to set aside tracts from development, motivated by the persuasive argument that preserving habitat in general can save time over the laborious process of considering each species, one at a time, as a candidate for endangered designation.

A larger point is that with the California economy trying to shake off a troubling recession, and with environmentalists latching onto a 4-inch bird in an attempt to raise legitimate alarm about dwindling open space, the governor had staved off designation. He managed to present a credible plan for habitat protection and keep the building industry’s spirits up--all with what was essentially a promise.

But it remains to be seen how much of this promise can be kept.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s decision last week to put the gnatcatcher on track for federal endangered species designation added weight to the scientific case for protection, which was disregarded at the state level.

And the speed with which developers have managed to clear habitat in the past plainly puts the burden of proof on anyone asking for time to negotiate. Mantell acknowledges as much, saying a short-term plan is needed to hold the line while developers, state and federal officials and environmentalists talk.

It’s a tall order for the governor--to sustain economic vitality while preserving open space. He has put his Administration out front, and he can be sure that environmentalists, state agencies and the courts will be watching the high-wire act closely.