Endangered Species and the EIR
The Biological Section of the East Orange EIR did not inform the public of the discovery of the federally endangered Arroyo Toad thought by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to be on the brink of extinction in its natural Northeast OC habitat : The East Orange Hills Area 2 Golf Course.
When new significant information is left out of an EIR it must be recirculated for the public and decision makers to review the new data and feasible project alternatives that would lessen the environmental impact of the project, in this case the removal of the Golf Course from the East Orange development.
The EIR states there are no Arroyo Toads present in Area 2/Golf Course and there are no physical impacts to this Endangered Species.
However the USFWS confirmed 2 Arroyo Toad sightings in April and May of 2005 on Irvine Ranch Reserve Land and said that impacts to this endangered species must be reviewed before the East Orange Area 2 Golf Course permits are issued.
Impact on Wildlife
The Federally Endangered Arroyo Toad in Santiago Creek will be directly impacted by the development of the golf course: manipulation of the water flowing into the creek, pesticides used on the greens/landscaping and destruction of native habitat needed for the Toad to survive.
12,000 people in the 4000 homes of the project will use trails to explore The Arroyo Toad critical habitat in Santiago Creek with or without fences and warning signs that ID their habitat. Cats will eat this nearly extinct toad, kids will scoop them up in fish nets and compound the destruction of this species.
Urban Sprawl like East Orange Hills has triggered a separate lawsuit by the Center for Biological Diversity against the USFWS for failing to protect critical Arroyo Toad habitat in Santiago Creek and other areas of Southern California.