Manatt Energy and Environment Partner David Smith was quoted in an article by California Planning & Development Report on how adding Crotch’s bumblebee to California’s list of endangered species may pose challenges for developers across the state.
As more insects are added to the endangered species list, the methodology for listing and protecting endangered insects might be significantly different than for larger animals or plants, which can lead developers to alternative approaches, according to the article. Given the difficulty of identifying and describing habitats of threatened insects, development plans could extensively be disrupted.
For Crotch’s bumblebee, proper investigation goes beyond a bee sighting. “What is the likelihood of there being a nearby nest or not? And unfortunately, the nest can be virtually almost anywhere. They can more frequently go into holes in the ground, like a gopher hole, and develop them there. But they can also just take over a stump or log and be in there,” Smith said. “It's not just about Crotch’s bumblebee, but this new era where insects are going to start being listed may get their attention and cause them to think of alternative approaches,” he added.
California Planning & Development Report subscribers can read the full article here.