A long-running disagreement over what should be done with the largest swath of privately owned wilderness in southern California has been settled by a deal between green groups and a developer. Ninety percent of the 270,000-acre Tejon Ranch will be conserved, while 26,000 homes will be permitted on the remaining 10 percent. The Center for Biological Diversity, which was not involved in the truce, expressed iffiness, saying that the development would disrupt crucial habitat for the endangered condor. But the green groups involved in the deal — including NRDC, the Sierra Club, Audubon California, the Planning and Conservation League, and the Endangered Habitats League — were satisfied that a good balance was struck. So was Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who stated that the agreement shows how “we can protect California’s environment at the same time we pump up our economy.” Yes, he said “pump up.”
