Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn Tuesday denounced a judge’s ruling dismissing claims challenging the Catalina Island Conservancy’s plan to systematically eliminate the island’s entire deer population, and is asking Gov. Gavin Newsom to intervene.
Hahn has long opposed the plan, calling it inhumane and unnecessary, and raising concerns about increased wildfire risk. The suit, filed by a coalition of community groups, challenged the project being exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act, a process that would have allowed concerns about environmental, social and economic impacts to be raised. But the case was dismissed Monday by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Curtis Kin.
“This ruling is upsetting,” Hahn said. “Going through CEQA would mean more voices would be heard — like our Catalina residents for whom the deer are beloved, and our fire chief who says killing the deer would increase fire risk on the island. Gov. Newsom is our last hope to stop this. I am urging him to intervene, revoke their permit and save the deer.”…