Oceano Dunes should remain closed to off-roaders during COVID crisis

Once again, State Parks officials have blatantly violated environmental rules at the Oceano Dunes off-road vehicle park, this time by disturbing the nesting ground of the federally threatened Western snowy plover.

For that, the agency barely got a slap on the wrist.

The California Coastal Commission issued a letter, telling State Parks to stop what it was doing, but as of yet, there’s been no talk of fines or other consequences imposed by any regulatory agency.

When will it stop?

Will any regulatory agency or political body ever hold State Parks truly accountable for its lapses in management of the Oceano Dunes?

History of compliance issues

This latest incident follows many others at the dunes, which has been under fire for years on account of dust particles that drift downwind, creating a health hazard for residents on the Nipomo Mesa.

The San Luis Obispo County Air Pollution District has issued numerous orders to State Parks, but there’s been a long history of spotty compliance.

Things came to a head last July, when the Coastal Commission staff recommended dramatic reductions in vehicle use — which many interpreted as a signal that the days of the OHV park were numbered.

Instead, the Coastal Commission agreed to give State Parks one year to develop a management plan that would, among other steps, better protect endangered species.

Now that year is up, and State Parks’ Public Works Plan is on the agenda of a virtual Coastal Commission meeting scheduled for July 9, though it’s listed only as a status report.

The ambitious plan, which includes new trails, campsites, boardwalks and possibly a new park entrance, won’t be an easy sell.

There’s already been an outcry over a proposal to further develop the sensitive Oso Flaco area, located at the southern end of the park, with RV and tent camping sites, cabins and additional trails.

State Parks also has been looking at installing a new entrance to the park so vehicles don’t have to cross the environmentally sensitive Arroyo Grande Creek; it’s seeking Coastal Commission feedback on that.

In other words, the long-term plan remains a work in progress.

COVID-19 closure

For now, the Oceano Dunes remains closed to vehicles due to the coronavirus pandemic. No reopening date has been announced.

The absence of ATVs has given wildlife an opportunity to thrive; plovers have expanded their nesting grounds outside their usual, fenced-in areas.

State Parks installed some additional fencing to protect the new nesting sites.

But it also discouraged plovers from further expanding their nesting ground by grading, installing mylar flagging, scuffing out nesting scrapes, operating heavy equipment nearby and directing and moving plovers to enclosed areas without permits — all in violation of federal law.

The work was presumably done to prevent the birds from nesting in areas that would be reopened to off-road riders.

The Center for Biological Diversity, with an assist from the Dunes Alliance, discovered what was going on and reported it to the state Coastal Commission.

Kudos to both conservation groups. Without their monitoring, who knows when — or if — the illegal activity would have been discovered.

As reported by Tribune reporter Evelyn Valdez-Ward, State Parks has indicated it’s complying with the Coastal Commission’s stop-work order.

“The activity of scuffing scrapes at the SVRA has stopped, and we are removing mylar stakes until we further confer with the Coastal Commission to clarify the need for permits,” a State Parks official told her via email.

The Center for Biological Diversity is asking the Coastal Commission to keep the park closed until snowy plover breeding season ends in September.

That’s a reasonable request, given that the entire state is theoretically under a statewide coronavirus order that discourages recreational travel.

With the recent surge in cases in California, it makes all the more sense to discourage tourism, especially from areas with higher case counts.

Another reason: There’s a propensity for accidents at the dunes, and the middle of a pandemic is not a good time to be increasing the case load for first responders and hospital staff.

We strongly urge the Coastal Commission to give SLO County residents — and the snowy plovers — a break.

Extend this timeout to provide all agencies with an opportunity to plan a way forward, one that will hopefully accommodate both recreation and environmental protection.

And next time the department steps out of line by blatantly violating the environmental rules it’s responsible for upholding, give it more than a gentle chiding.

This story was originally published June 29, 2020 at 7:52 AM.