While the apparent green-lighting of new offshore oil drilling wins takes the cake as the budget deal's biggest insult to the environment, the reduction of $8 million from California State Parks runs a close second. Because this amount will probably "only" result in the closure of 30 State Parks, as opposed to the 220 proposed earlier in negotiations, many will call this some kind of victory. However, in different times the idea of closing 30 State Parks would bring Californians into the streets with torches and pitchforks. Given that few details of the budget deal have emerged, it's hard to tell how set in stone this aspect of the budget plan is. Nonetheless, you may want to let your leaders have it over this issue.
By Garrison Frost
HOTSPOT: Flyover of California's Birds and Biodiversity
California is a global biodiversity hotspots, with one of the greatest concentrations of living species on Earth.
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