OCEANO, Calif. (KEYT) – On Thursday, California State Parks was hit with a lawsuit over its approval of a habitat conservation plan at Oceano Dunes. The Center for Biological Diversity and Northern Chumash Tribal Council claims State Parks has violated the Endangered Species Act by allowing off-road driving on the beach for decades – putting wildlife like western snowy plovers and California least terns in danger.
In May 2026, California's Department of Parks and Recreation approved the Oceano Dunes District's Habitat Conservation Plan to allow visitors to enjoy recreational activities on the beach, while continuing to monitor and minimize any impacts the region's natural wildlife.
The final plan presented in the April 2026 highlights several species of animals and plants that would be covered under conservation plan, chosen "based on their listing or potential listing status as a federally listed threatened or endangered species."
Recreation activities popular to the area such as camping, swimming, bicycling, fishing, dog walking, and motorized recreation will all be allowed to continue under the plan.
An April 2026 injunction previously prohibited off-road vehicles on the beach after a federal court ruled those vehicles violated the Endangered Species Act. The beach was temporarily closed to motor vehicles until May 22nd when State Parks received a new permit from the Department of Fish and Wildlife with the approval of the Habitat Conservation Plan.
The lawsuit filed by the Center for Biological Diversity and Northern Chumash Tribal Council claims the plan conserves off-roading, and the park's popularity with visitors, rather than the region's natural and protected habitat.
Jeff Miller, a senior conservation advocate at the Center said in a statement, “Oceano Dunes is a place for all Californians and a refuge for some of our most imperiled birds. Letting hobbyists degrade it for another 25 years based on a flawed environmental study is unthinkable.”
The center criticizes State Parks’ decision – claiming the conservation plan lacks proper environmental review and violates Endangered Species Act.
In it's final draft report, the District and State Parks say this is an attempt to create a balance:
"The mission of CDPR is to provide for the health, inspiration, and education of the people of California by helping to preserve the state's extraordinary biological diversity, protecting its most valued natural and cultural resources, and creating opportunities for high-quality outdoor recreation. Balancing the need to protect California’s natural resources, while providing recreational access to the parks..."
However, the lawsuit claims the State Park's authorization for off-roading to continue violates protected nesting and roosting areas, and land scared to the Chumash Tribe for thousands of years.
“State Parks tried to dress up a dune buggy conservation plan as habitat improvement. The plan actually takes away needed protections for nesting plovers and terns,” said Miller. “You’d expect this wanton disregard for imperiled wildlife from Trump, but it’s just sad seeing it coming from California.”
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