CASTAIC SCHOOL SITES HABITAT FOR RARE BIRD?

Byline: Eugene Tong Staff Writer

CASTAIC - Two sites at the top of the list for the Hart district's planned Castaic High School include potential habitats for the California gnatcatcher, and endangered bird, Hart district officials said Monday.

An initial survey conducted in May as part the environmental impact report for both the Hasley/Sloan Canyon and Northlake sites turned up possible homes for the songbird whose presence could complicate plans to build a high school to serve the area by 2008.

While officials have downplayed the find, the William S. Hart Union High School District is planning to allocate $4,550 to conduct additional surveys into July.

``We haven't spotted anything,'' said Rory Livingston, assistant superintendent of business. ``It's part of doing an EIR. You find stuff and have it researched. It's just one more thing to deal with.''

The endangered bluish-gray songbird prefers to nest in sage scrub that dots Santa Clarita and has complicated developments around the valley, including Golden Valley Ranch and the Newhall Estates projects.

In November 2000, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service designated 25,000 acres in Placerita, Box Springs and Plum canyons in Santa Clarita as the northern end of the songbird's habitat. Castaic is 10 to 15 miles north of those locations.

While those hills are covered with sage scrub, studies have found scant evidence of the birds, leading some critics of the designation to argue that it is not appropriate.