SACRAMENTO, Calif.— The Center for Biological Diversity and Northern Chumash Tribal Council filed a lawsuit this week challenging California State Parks approval of an Oceano Dunes habitat conservation plan that imperils endangered wildlife like western snowy plovers and California least terns.

“This plan conserves off-roading, not habitat. It would be a complete disaster for California’s dune-dwelling wildlife and I’m astonished that the state rubber stamped it in the first place,” said Jeff Miller, a senior conservation advocate at the Center. “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 dunes are our ancestors’ breath and our children’s tomorrow,” said Violet Sage Walker, chairwoman of the Northern Chumash Tribal Council. “When we rise to protect the snowy plover and the least tern, we are saving ourselves — we are honoring the living spirit of these sacred lands and keeping the promise that every generation after us will still feel their healing power.”

Thursday’s lawsuit says California State Parks’ conservation plan violates state laws requiring adequate environmental review and protection of rare birds and violates the California Coastal Act. The plan was the basis for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issuing a permit in May for California to allow off-road vehicle activity at Oceano Dunes that would kill and harm endangered birds.

State Parks had been violating the Endangered Species Act for decades by allowing motorized vehicles to drive through habitat for imperiled shorebirds at the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area. A 2020 lawsuit by the Center resulted in a November 2025 federal court ruling that California was illegally harming and killing snowy plovers. An April 2026 injunction temporarily shut down Oceano Dunes to off-road vehicles and beach driving.

In May State Parks issued a final environmental impact report for a widely criticized habitat conservation plan that was relied on by the Service in quickly issuing a permit. The plan allows for the killing and harassment of federally protected wildlife within the 5,005-acre plan area by off-road vehicle use and associated activities. Habitat conservation plans are supposed to provide an overall conservation benefit, but the Oceano Dunes plan will make conditions worse for plovers and terns and reduce protected nesting and roosting areas.

“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.”

The lawsuit also challenges State Parks’ illegal authorization for off-road vehicles to disturb and kill California least terns, which are protected under state law and cannot be legally harmed without approval of a natural communities conservation plan issued by the Department of Fish and Wildlife. State Parks’ habitat conservation plan also illegally authorizes new and expanded off-road vehicle uses in areas designated as environmentally sensitive habitat under the state’s Coastal Act.