$1 million victory for red-legged frog

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 07/20/2002 | Meredith May

[Pokey78]

Powerhouse Contra Costa developer Albert Seeno Jr. will pay $1 million and turn hundreds of acres of land near Mount Diablo into a refuge for the California red-legged frog, after his company pleaded guilty Friday to wiping out the threatened amphibian's habitat to build $500,000 homes.

[I still care]

Words fail me. 640 acres for a frog?

[absalom01]

The erosion of private property rights in California in the past twenty years is stunning. The ESA is the most famous culprit, but CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act) is further-reaching and more insideous. The frog, in this case, is only the excuse. The 640 acres removed from productive use for all time is the real goal. This of course sounds paranoid, but it's just a simple statement of the facts on the ground here.

[Jonathon Spectre]

If I were this high-powered developer I would pay twenty or thirty people to wander around this "frog habitat" gathering up all the "red-legged" frogs they can find.

Then I'd go dump them on the property of the commie scum that rendered this "decision" and call the press. "Got to get these folks out of their homes, the red-legged frog is here! Gotta save the stupid f**king red-legged frog!"

You know what, folks? There's this thing called "evolution" that provides for this thing called "extinction". It's been going on forever. It will go on forever. When I read crap like this I almost hope humanity's next up on the chopping block.

[CARTOUCHE]

Having grown up in Pittsburg and worked as a lawnboy for his daughter and son-in-law in the 60's, I can tell you that the Seeno story is one of amazing good fortune and hard work on that family's part. However, the red-legged frog seems to have more power and influence in Contra Costa County than any Italian-American land developer's son. Maybe Albert Jr. should have his home designers incorporate a frog pond into each patio as a compromise. Imagine all the red-legged frogs in the bosom of a $500,000 home. I suppose the protectors of the endangered would just croak at that idea.

[Osinski]

Let's see...

3,200 X $500,000 = $ 1,600,000,000

Let's estimate a modest 5% net profit = $ 80,000,000 if my math is correct.

Hell, based on those numbers, ain't no biggie to wipe out an endangered species. A BIG $1 million dollar fine...whooeee.

[absalom01]

If I were this high-powered developer I would pay twenty or thirty people to wander around this "frog habitat" gathering up all the "red-legged" frogs they can find.

Then you would go to jail.

One thing one could do, if one owned land that is certifiably clear of red-legged frogs at the moment, would be to stock your fishponds with bass and bullfrogs, which eat the little red-legged frogs before anyone can find them. But woe to you if you tried this if there were any protected species around.

Look, these people really don't care about the frogs. It's about power, and money. The state and feds wind up with about 700K (to be used to further harass other property owners), and the private "save mt. diablo" gets 300K, supposedly to buy more land, really to fund their enviro-jihad.

This story is just particularly clear-cut, but smaller "takings" occur on a daily basis all over the state.

[Sabertooth]

Overharvesting for their tasty legs and the introduction of the predatory bullfrog sent their numbers declining. Since the 1970s, they have disappeared to just 10 percent of their original population, as the marshes they favor have been drained for cropland and housing tracts.

Hey, a Bullfrog mention!

I'm a bit puzzled by the overharvesting reference... were redlegged rog legs on many menus? Why not set those same "overharvetsers" lose on the bullfrogs?

I'm still convinced that red-legged frogs would fluorish in golf course ponds.

[Sabertooth]

One thing one could do, if one owned land that is certifiably clear of red-legged frogs at the moment, would be to stock your fishponds with bass and bullfrogs, which eat the little red-legged frogs before anyone can find them.

The bullfrogs are the problem... they're also illegal, at least in pet stores, though enforcement is zero.

[Mike Darancette]

Words fail me. 640 acres for a frog?

Siegfried and Roy's bedroom in Las Vegas should be declared a protected environment because of the great numbers of white tigers that dwell there.

[TaxPayer2000]

, and now lives in 22 counties, primarily in central coastal California.

um, He didn't "wipe out the entire species"

[Carry_Okie]

A perfect example of Sustainable Development. Seeno knows that NO ONE among his competitors will be able to build unless they can foot the million dollar fine. That means housing prices rise and with them his profits on future projects. All he has to do is pay off the RICOnuts. Heck, he ought to start a Foundation so that he can fund the local wackos to kill his competition. That's how it's done down here.

He'll make money on this deal.

[Sabertooth]

What do you think about golf course ponds as habitats for red-legged frogs?

They're even immune to drought, and controlling for bullfrogs wouldn't be that difficult.

[jonathonandjennifer]

"My decision was wrong and caused the destruction of these valuable frogs and their habitat," he wrote. "It is my hope that this substantial penalty along with my apology will send a strong message deterring others who may be tempted to engage in this same conduct."

These comments by the defendant sound just like the statements made by defendants in the mock trials put on by Stalin in the "old" Soviet Union, and it scares me to death. The man has had over 90% of his 640 acres confiscated, without even having been awarded fair market value, as he would have in a condemnation of the land for a public project. And then he is fined $1M and forced to pubicly humiliate himeself.

If the power of the courts in this country isn't somehow curtailed, and soon, I'm afraid freedom is dead.

[Carry_Okie]

What do you think about golf course ponds as habitats for red-legged frogs?

It might make for some wierd ground rules as to what constitutes a playable lie.

Actually it's not a bad idea, as long as the vegetation was compatible and chemical runoff wasn't fatal. The real benefit is that the ponds are isolated from bullfrogs and might make for good experimental opportunities. If the courses were successful in developing a satisfactory habitat they ought to get a payment.

[dinasour]

Only four spots have more than 350 frogs

Frog legs anyone? Yum.

[multitaskmom]

"They" won't be happy until "they've" declared the entire State of California a "wilderness refuge."

[American Preservative]

(Thanks for posting Pokey78.)

Thread ping! : )

"I'm sorry. I just wanted to build some habitats for humans...."

This is MY pad, man! (Hee-hee! It's good to be king of the pad....and of the court. $$$Ribbett!$$$)

[ThePythonicCow]

This of course sounds paranoid

It ain't paranoid if they're out to get ya.

[Tailgunner Joe]

bttt