California Coastal Commission Members Move to Oust Executive Director

The California Coastal Commission will vote whether to fire Executive Director Charles Lester who has led the powerful conservation agency since 2011. Environmentalists call the move to oust Lester a pro-development coup. Meanwhile, commissioners supporting the firing, who include four Jerry Brown appointees, have declined to speak publicly. They reportedly point to management problems and lack of diversity during Lester’s tenure. We discuss the upcoming vote and how it may affect the 12-member Commission and the 1,100 miles of California coastline it regulates.