Wetlands Give UC Merced Growing Pains

As reported on today's LA TIMES:

"The year-old university has expansion plans but still lacks federal permission to build on 86 acres nearby that contain protected vernal pools.

With its first year tucked under its belt, the University of California Merced —
which cost more than $500 million and took nearly 20 years to plan —
still lacks federal permission to build on wetlands near the fledgling campus.
UC Merced is developing 105 acres as part of Phase I of the campus and
plans to build Phase II on 805 adjoining acres it purchased near Lake Yosemite.
But that second parcel includes 86 acres of federally protected wetlands.

Now, university officials are hoping for an environmental permit to destroy
the vernal pools on those wetlands and build, among other things,
institutes to study the environment and energy."

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Apparently, The University of California believes it is better
to study the environment in books and buildings than in nature.