Friday, January 20, 2012
January CA Coastal Commission Report
 |
| Photo: California Coastal Commission |
The January Coastal Commission meeting was interesting and unique on a few levels. There was one item on the agenda that spurred passionate debate. There were other items that called for progressive thinking about costal issues. And on the last day of the meetings, the Commission took a rare field trip to analyze public access along the coastline around Los Angeles. In this report, we will focus on a few agenda items that apply to Surfrider Foundation’s mission statement.
Public Access:
Probably one of the most interesting aspects of the meeting came from an elaborate Staff presentation on a report about public access. As way of background, the Coastal Act mandates public access along the coast and sets strict requirements for any development projects along the coast to provide public access.
The Staff report focused primarily on public access ways in San Diego, Orange, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Ventura, and San Luis Obispo Counties. The report found that Los Angeles County greatly lags behind other counties in southern California for providing public access. The report illustrated that 60% of the 111 areas of land the Commission has required landowners to provide access from San Diego to San Luis Obispo counties have been built and opened, compared with 38% in L.A. County. San Diego and Orange counties scored the best, with 85% and 73% of their agreed-upon pathways completed. To view the report go here:
Violations Against Coastal And Archeological Resources:
In my opinion, the most fascinating item on the agenda was a cease and desist order to the Goodell family to:
1.) stop unpermitted development, including but not limited to excavation and deposition of excavated soil; 2) stabilize excavated areas; 3) arrange for Native American monitors to oversee all work conducted pursuant to these Consent Orders; 4) screen excavated soil for cultural and archaeological materials; 5) protect in place, document, and rebury all cultural and archaeological materials encountered during work conducted pursuant to these Consent Orders; 6) stop maintaining existing unpermitted development consisting of excavations, excavated soil, and any associated results thereof, on property located east of the intersection of Brightwater Drive and Bolsa Chica Street.
In a nutshell, the Bolsa Chica mesa contains massive archeological assets (part of them are contained on the Goodell property). This 9,000-year-old archeological area contains artifacts and is also considered extremely sacred among Native Americans because it contains a burial site. The Goodell family took it upon themselves to dig 16 pits to explore the land (without a permit)—and called it “a mistake”. When the Coastal Commission found out about the illegal digging they issued a cease and desist. It’s unfortunate the family ruined the integrity of the archeological site, and to make matters worse, they also caused harm to coastal resources by subjecting the land to undue erosion from all the digging (which is why Surfrider paid attention to this issue).
The CCC Staff presented their findings and in addition to recommending the above actions, they proposed a mitigation fee of $130,000. This fee was based on the lowest fine possible for the combined 16 infractions. The Commission agreed with Staff’s recommendations, but there was no way they were going to agree on the mitigation fee! Commissioner Sanchez was very vocal about her disappointment in the Goodell family’s violations. She said she felt the $130,000 was an insult. Chair Shellenberger said that it’s hard to believe this was a mistake—anybody who has read the LA Times over the past decade knows the area has archeological significance. Commissioner Bloom declared that anyone who harms archeological resources on public or private land must be held accountable.
After much debate about the mitigation fee, Commission asked Staff to take a break and figure out the maximum amount for fines. After a long break, Staff returned to clarify the highest amount for unintentional violations would be $430,000 (based on the 16 pits dug). They suggested this be the fine since it’s challenging to prove the act was intentional. The fee for an intentional violation is $480,000. Commissioner Sanchez once again spoke out about the injustice and said that she thinks the family should pay a half a million dollars to “make things right”. Since the Commissioners had no hard evidence the violations were intentional, the motion was to fine the family the maximum penalty for unintentional violations. The Commission adopted the motion, but Commissioner Sanchez cast a dissenting vote saying she didn’t believe it was unintentional and they should pay $500,000. After the vote was approved, the Commission concluded by saying violations this egregious will be taken seriously—and they hope the high mitigation deters people from committing these types of actions in the future.
Amendment of Local Coastal Plan (LCP):
One of the most encouraging agenda items came from the City of Manhattan Beach to amend their LCP. This was exciting because the amendment included new regulations to address sustainable development—including water efficient landscaping, green roofs and decks, and renewable energy. Surfirder applauds the City of Manhattan Beach in taking steps to address water waste and improve energy efficiency.
Offshore Oil Drilling and Exploration Issue:
Another positive aspect of the meeting came when Santa Barbara County requested to amend a portion of its Local Coastal Program to clarify that hydraulic fracturing of existing or new wells is not a permitted use under exploration and is subject to approval of a Production Plan, Coastal Development Permit, and in some zone districts, a Conditional Use Permit.
This amendment added language to the LCP that reaffirmed fracturing is not a permitted used for exploration/production, and if it is conducted, it must be described in a permit application. This is a positive step to ensuring that hydraulic fracturing is closely monitored. The Western States Petroleum Association presented testimony in regards to the item. The spokesperson said they were not there to testify against it, but attended the hearing to say hydraulic fracturing can be done safely. Commission voted unanimously to add clarity to the LCP.
Shoreline Armoring Issue:
The next issue we monitored was an application of Tu Casa HOA for maintenance of existing revetment to include returning dislodged rocks back on revetment, after-the-fact approval. Surfrider is always curious to watch revetment projects becasue we are concerned about coastal armoring since it ultimately interferes with the natural flow of sand to our beaches. This project however was a straightforward case in which the applicant was fixing “Pre Coastal Act” revetment. The project called for relocating rocks away from public access. Commission Staff said the maintenance was not classified a realignment and therefore it’s not considered a new project—Commission agreed and voted unanimously to approve. This was a win-win…less revetment and more public access.
Stay tuned for Surfrider’s February report on the Coastal Commission…
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
January Policy Update
 |
| Photo: San Diego Chapter. |
January’s policy update is packed with many issues. While the update only covers a fraction of California coastal issues, we tried to pick topics that are germane to Surfrider supporters. Remember that your local Chapters are working on a myriad of issues and always need the help. Make a New Years resolution to volunteer more with your local chapter!
California State Beaches: Lifeguard-less?
Over the last several months, Surfrider has written about the plan to close 70 state parks--the proposal has been on the table in order to help close the budget gap. As if that wasn’t bad enough, there is a new proposal to eliminate all seasonal lifeguards and 20 percent of ranger positions in California state parks if the governor’s November ballot initiative for new revenue isn’t successful. Despite the fact that a decision on that initiative is ten months away, the governor is demanding that these state park reductions be made this spring.
Closing parks and eliminating lifeguards would directly impact Surfrider members who use State Beaches on a regular basis. Contact the Governor and tell him that closing parks is bad for California! Ask him to reverse the permanent cuts to state parks and keep our parks safe and open for all Californians.
King Tides:
King tides. It sounds so regal, doesn’t it? Well, it is! King Tides are events occurring in early winter where the high tide is unusually higher than typical tides throughout the year. Surfrider, along with California Coastkeeper Alliance, is encouraging people to participate in the King Tide Photo Project, in order to document and help understand the impacts of sea level rise in the coming decades. Grab your camera!
Getting Strategic With It:
The Ocean Protection Council (OPC) recently released its Draft Five Year Strategic Plan. Surfrider Foundation staff worked diligently to provide our feedback on the Strategic Plan by focusing our attention on the following areas: climate change, marine ecosystems, coastal/ocean impacts from land, and existing and emerging ocean uses. The OPC was created under the California Ocean Protection Act (COPA), which was signed into law in 2004 by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. The OPC's mission statement is to ensure that California maintains healthy, resilient, and productive ocean and coastal ecosystems for the benefit of current and future generations. Read our comment letter here.
This Beach is My Land….This Beach is Your Land…
California Coastal Commissioners jumped in a bus and took a tour of beaches in Malibu to get a closer look at beach access issues. Prior to this visit, the California Coastal Commission recently completed a report about the status of public access ways in San Diego, Orange, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Ventura, and San Luis Obispo Counties. The report found that Los Angeles County greatly lags behind other counties in southern California for providing public access. Surfrider tips our hat to the Commission for pounding the beach in order to better understand obstacles blocking public access. Read more about their trip here.
It’s Fun to Play…in Marine Protected Areas.
On January 1, 2012, southern California became the proud owner of newly established Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). After a multi-year process, these new MPAs are hoped to bring about renewed ocean health to marine life and habitat. Check out our recent blog about the establishment of MPAs.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
New Marine Protected Areas In Effect!
On January 1, 2012 southern California welcomed a series of newly established Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). These MPAs will join a growing statewide system that will soon stretch the length of California’s coast. They were created through the landmark Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA). These MPAs were designed by local stakeholders to protect the most productive areas of ocean while leaving nearly 90 percent of the coast open for fishing (see a map of fishing areas left open). Most of the new protected areas are adjacent to public beaches and state parks, creating great opportunities for recreation.
Go here for a great recent news articles.
For over the past 3 years, Surfrider has been working with a diverse group of people to ensure MPAs are well designed and effectively implemented. View Surfrider’s statement the final maps adopted and the work we conducted throughout the process.
 |
| San Diego Community Forum. Nov 9, 2011 |
During the month of November 2011, Surfrider held community forums to educate local communities and ocean-users about the new MPAs and their regulations. We held 4 forums around the region and over 100 environmentalists, fishermen, business owners, and elected officials attended the meetings.
To ensure these MPAs are successful in the long run, the state and other organizations will be and monitoring the progress of MPAs. Learn more about Reef Check’s program.
To view all the MPAs in the south coast visit here.
To use a mobile phone to identify coordinates and regulations for each MPA go here.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Monthly Policy Update.
Last month our update recapped exciting events from the legislative season. This months’ report will focus on a broad range of issues...
You know how Surfrider and our partners killed the toll road (twice)? Well even though it’s dead, dead, dead…toll road developers want to rehash the plan by building the first four miles of the road (also known as segmenting or piecemealing). Have no fear, Surfrider is watching like a hawk! This crazy new plan directly relates to California policy because simply put--piecemealing is illegal under CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act)! Find out more about this illegal project and Surfrider’s take by visiting our Save Trestles Page.
California News
You know how Surfrider and our partners killed the toll road (twice)? Well even though it’s dead, dead, dead…toll road developers want to rehash the plan by building the first four miles of the road (also known as segmenting or piecemealing). Have no fear, Surfrider is watching like a hawk! This crazy new plan directly relates to California policy because simply put--piecemealing is illegal under CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act)! Find out more about this illegal project and Surfrider’s take by visiting our Save Trestles Page.Other Californian Policy Happenings
Surfrider Foundation always monitors and attends California Coastal Commission (CCC) hearings. At the end of the year, in conjunction with other environmentalists, we compile a report card of how Commissioners voted. In order to keep our die-hard CCC fans up-to-date more regularly, we are going to provide monthly CCC reports.
Issues we pick to monitor are based on their likely impact to coastal resources and/or if there is any overlap with Surfrider Foundation work. However, it’s important to stress that just because we monitor an issue doesn’t mean we are working on the issue; nor should it imply that Surfrider is necessarily opposed or in support of a project.
Here is the write up for October. There were several issues we had identified to monitor, but most of them were postponed for a later date.
Topanga Creek Widening:
Application from Los Angeles County Department of Public Works to repair and restore a segment of western stream bank of lower Topanga Creek to a less steep gradient, widen the creek and relocate the toe of rip rap 5 feet further landward of its existing location. Upon completion of the project, Applicant would re-vegetate and restore slope with native vegetation.
Heal the Bay and Resource Conservation Dist. Of Santa Monica Mountains issued comments that were not in complete opposition to the proposal, but argued that if the Commission issued the permit, it should be issued as a temporary “fix”. In addition, they argued that if the permit is issued, it should in no way impede the full restoration of the lagoon in the future. Both organizations urged the Commission to contemplate a larger restoration plan that has been discussed with these organizations and other entities over the past few years; which is still a conceptual design for long-term restoration at Topanga Lagoon.
CCC voted unanimously to approve permit.
Help Defend the National Ocean Policy Today!
Last year, President Obama established the National Ocean Policy to help protect and restore our nation’s oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes. The policy is already being implemented and is improving collaboration between government agencies, scientists, ocean users, and members of the public. This is critical for the State of California as we have many coastal resources that need to be protected by a coordinated approach. Unfortunately, some Members of Congress are attempting to stop the National Ocean Policy with a backdoor attack through an FY12 Appropriations bill. Halting implementation of the policy would reduce our nation’s capacity to protect and restore our ocean and coastal ecosystems and the communities that depend upon them. Please make your voice heard and ask your Senators and Representative to support the National Ocean Policy and oppose any proposal that would restrict its funding or implementation. Participate in our action alert today by clicking here.
SB 568: Foam Phase Out Update
Remember the polystyrene ban for restaurants in California that we were talking about this summer? It was shelved at the end of the legislative session in September but will be brought back to the State Assembly in early 2012. SB 568 would provide a state-wide ban on polystyrene take out food packaging to help mitigate the detrimental effects polystyrene is having on our waterways, storm drains and marine life. Expanded polystyrene take-out food and beverage containers are used once for a short time before they become waste, and often litter that has impacts on the marine environment.
Click Here for more info and how you can help make a difference in passing this important bill!
Click Here for more info and how you can help make a difference in passing this important bill!
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Surfrider and Reef Check California hold MPA Public Forum
Friday, September 23, 2011
Charles Lester Steps into Coastal Commission Executive Director Role
The California Coastal Commission appointed Charles Lester as the new Executive Director of the agency, following the recent retirement of long time Coastal Commission leader Peter Douglas. Lester was the Acting Deputy Director of the Central Coast District under Douglas and stepped in to fill the role of interim Executive Director. Peter Douglas recommended Charles Lester as his successor when he announced his retirement. On September 8, 2011, the interim appointment was made permanent.
Lester has been working for the California Coastal Commission for the past 14 years. He has also served as District Manager of the Central Coast, which includes the coastal zones of Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Luis Obispo Counties as well as the incorporated coastal cities in these counties.
Charles Lester's background and expertise in coastal policy makes him a very good fit for the appointment. He received his Bachelor's degree in geochemistry from Columbia College in New York City. He attended the University of California Berkeley for law school and a Ph.D. in Jurisprudence and Social Policy in 1992. His doctoral dissertation evaluated the implementation of the Federal Offshore Oil and Gas Program. Prior to taking his current position with the California Coastal Commission, he was a professor of environmental policy and law at the University of Colorado at Boulder.
Lester made a statement regarding his new role: “I am deeply committed to implementing the Coastal Act, but I am also a problem-solver, and I look forward to bringing people together around environmentally sustainable solutions that protect coastal resources and provide maximum public access to the coast for all Californians.”
Labels: CCC
Monday, September 19, 2011
New Date Set for MLPA. Jan 1, 2012
The Fish and Game Commission approved a new implementation date of Jan 1, 2012 for Marine Protected Areas in the South Coast. By waiting until Jan 1, 2012, the Commission has been able to ensure all regulations and final elements of the maps are vetted thoroughly. See the press release issued by the Commission regarding the new Jan 1 date here.
Two years ago when the final set of Stakeholder maps were released, the Surfrider Foundation held community forums around the South Coast to receive feedback from local communities. We plan on holding similar forums during the month of Nov. The main goals of the forums are to:
 |
| Photo: Dana Murray |
- Notify local communities about the new Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) that will soon go into effect.
- Discuss maps, locations, and regulations for each MPA.
- Talk about future work to ensure these MPAs are successful.
We plan on holding forums in Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego. Please return to this blog to find out the dates and locations once they have been selected.
Monday, September 12, 2011
End of CA Legislative Season. Many Good Bills Head to Governor's Desk
 |
| Photo: Matthew Hendricks |
Assmblymember Lownethal said it best:
"I'm disappointed we were not able to get SB 568 off the Assembly floor this year. The money and effort spent to kill this bill was too great to overscome. We simply ran out of time. However, I'm confident that given the rest of the year to educate a few more members...we will be successful".Read more about SB 568 here.
Good Bills Heading to Governor's Desk
AB 42 (Huffman)--is a bill that would allow nonprofit organizations to help operate state parks that might otherwise close. This bi-partisan bill comes at dire times when the state is slated to close 25% of our state parks. To send a message to the Governor asking him to sign the bill, sign this action alert created by our friends at the CA State Park Foundation here:
SB 833 (Vargas)-- is a much needed bill that would halt the development of a new landfill at Gregory Canyon in San Diego. This horrible project would threaten drinking water for tens of thousands of residents, and would ruin adjacent Native America sites. This bill also contains other wonder elements such as increased recycling, new technologies and the expansion of existing landfills. Contact the Governor and tell him you support SB 833 here.
AB 376 (Fong and Huffman)--received copious media attention during the legislative season. This bill would help end the practice of shark finning by prohibiting sale, possession, or trade of shark fins in California. Read more about it here.
The legislature will return in Janurary 2012. Stay tuned as Surfrider will re-double our efforts to pass the Sustainable Take-out Food Packaging Bill.
AB 1319 (Pavley and Butler)-- is a much needed bill that would ban the use of BPA (a horrible chemical that has been linked to cancer and hormone disruption) in the use of baby bottles and sippy cups. If Governor Brown signs the bill California will be the 11th state to ban BPA and will follow suit of other countries around the world. Our friends at Environmental Working Group have this action alert, please sign it.
AB 1112 (Huffman)-- is a bill that authorizes the Office of Spill and Prevention and Response to temporarily increase the per barrel fee on oil from 5-cents to 6.5 cents beginning January 1 2012. The increase will prevent the Oil Spill Prevention and Administration Fund (OSPAF) from going into insolvency and helps ensure the OSPAF continues its critical oversight on oil extraction in our precious waterways.
AB359 (Huffman)--this bill would require local groundwater agencies, as a condition of receiving state grants or loans for groundwater projects to include in their groundwater management plans a map identifying groundwater recharge areas. These maps will identify areas that significantly contribute to the replenishment of the local groundwater supply. This bill would also expand public notification when preparing and approving the groundwater plan, including the notification to organizations representing landowners within the identified prime recharge areas.
The legislature will return in Janurary 2012. Stay tuned as Surfrider will re-double our efforts to pass the Sustainable Take-Out Food Packaging Bill.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
MLPA Implementation Date Delayed
You may have heard the implementation date for Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) has been pushed back from Oct 1. The state is doing its due diligence to make sure the final rules and boundaries match up to the plan proposed by local stakeholders and approved by the Commission. Surfrider Foundation, along with all the tens of thousands of southern Californians who helped participate in the process, are looking forward to the new MPAs as soon as the state has completed its work. Below is a press release from the CA Fish and Game.
California Department of Fish and Game News Release
August 25, 2011
Media Contact: Jordan Traverso, DFG Communications, (916) 654-9937
Fish and Game Commission Will Discuss New Effective Date for South Coast MPAs
The California Fish and Game Commission (Commission) will discuss alternative effective dates for implementation of the Southern California marine protected areas (MPAs) at its next meeting. The MPAs were previously expected to go into effect on Oct. 1, 2011, after the Commission chose that date at its June meeting. They will now discuss a new implementation date at the Sept. 15 meeting in Redding.
This decision comes after the Office of Administrative Law (OAL) informed the Commission that they will not approve the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) south coast MPAs regulatory package in time to make it effective Oct. 1, 2011 as anticipated. It is a complicated package and OAL informed the Commission that it has additional questions and requests for more information that will require a re-notice.
On Dec. 15, 2010 the Commission adopted regulations to create a suite of MPAs in the South Coast Study Region, which spans which spans state waters from Point Conception in Santa Barbara County to the U.S./Mexico border. Developed under the MLPA Initiative planning process, this network of 36 MPAs will be added to the 13 existing MPAs and two special closures in the Northern Channel Islands, which were established in 2003. Combined, the 49 MPAs and two special closures cover approximately 354 square miles of state waters and represent approximately 15 percent of the region.
Monday, August 15, 2011
New Study Proves MPAs can Produce Miracle Results.
A new study from Scripps Institution of Oceanography has proven marine reserves—stretches of protected ocean habitat—to be even more powerful than previously thought. These undersea parks can transform depleted areas into powerhouses of productivity, boosting fishermen’s catches and profits, as well as tourism and recreation activity.The report showed the number of fish in a marine reserve near the southern tip of Baja California soared 463 percent between 1999 and 2009. That’s a world record, said authors of the peer-reviewed paper, which was published today in the journal Public Library of Science ONE.
Octavio Aburto-Oropeza from Scripps, who led the decade-long research project at Cabo Pulmo told KGTV in San Diego that he hopes the success from Baja will inspire smart resource management elsewhere in the world:
"Few policymakers around the world are aware that fish size and abundance can increase inside marine reserves to extraordinary levels within a decade after protection is established -- fewer still know that these increases often translate into economic benefits for coastal communities…Therefore, showing what's happened in Cabo Pulmo will contribute to ongoing conservation efforts in the marine environment and recovery of local coastal economies."
Marine ecologist Enric Sala said in National Geographic:
" A scientific study published today by the Public Library of Science shows that protecting an area brings the fish back, and creates jobs and increases economic revenue for the local communities. I have seen it with my own eyes and, believe me, it is like a miracle, only that it is not–it's just common business sense."
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
What? Your Favorite Park is Closed?
We all knew it was coming--the day when nearly 25% of California state parks would shutdown in order to "close the budget" gap. But what we didn't know was that some Parks we thought were safe are actually being impacted too!
Surfrider recently learned, via our friends at the California State Park Foundation (CSPF), that a popular urban park in Los Angeles (Baldwin Hills) is now closed five or six days a week due to lack of funds. What's ironic is that this is a new facility and now it will be inaccessible to millions of people.
As CSPF says, "this is a heads up for you"! Even though your favorite park might have escaped the list of closures, it doesn't mean it won't be "nearly closed" due to reduced hours and services. If you are seeing changed hours and services at your favorite park, post a message to CSPF's Facebook page.
Continue to check back to this page and CSPF's website to learn more about new ideas to help mitigate the massive park closures.
As CSPF says, "this is a heads up for you"! Even though your favorite park might have escaped the list of closures, it doesn't mean it won't be "nearly closed" due to reduced hours and services. If you are seeing changed hours and services at your favorite park, post a message to CSPF's Facebook page.
Continue to check back to this page and CSPF's website to learn more about new ideas to help mitigate the massive park closures.
Major Monitoring Efforts Set for Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in Southern California
With the adoption of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in southern California, and the implementation date of Oct 1, 2011, the Surfrider Foundation is very pleased to learn about the $4 million the Ocean Protection Council (OPC) recently awarded to several institutions to conduct monitoring (over a three year period) in order to establish a baseline for the newly established MPAs. The data collected will focus on commercial and recreational activities, and will also analyze marine species and habitat.
The exciting part about this data collection is that monitoring will take place inside and outside of protected areas. One of the main reasons Surfrider Foundation supports MPAs is because we are convinced "spillover" from MPAs will help repopulate species and improve overall ocean health outside of protected areas (thus multiplying MPAproductivity). The data collected by SDSU, UCSD, and CA Fish and Game researchers will be particularly interesting as commercial lobster fishermen will help tag and recapture lobsters to assess "spillover" from MPAs to others areas of the ocean and also monitor lobster movement patterns, and how far these little critters travel. To learn more about the different types of monitoring programs, read the press release here.
 |
| Photo Credit: Wisniewski/Reef Check California |
Thursday, June 16, 2011
California Coastal Commission 2010 Voting Record and 2011 Outlook
This week, Surfrider Foundation, along with our partners at Sierra Club, California Coastkeeper Alliance, League for Coastal Protection, California Coastal Protection Network, and Coastwalk California released the 2010 California Coastal Commission Voting Chart. The Conservation Voting Chart tracks the voting record of the members of the California Coastal Commission and provides critical insight into Commissioner performance relating to its impact on natural coastal resources and their potential to set important statewide precedents. This year's Chart reports on the 21 most important environmental votes of the year in front of the Coastal Commission.
Commissioner Esther Sanchez, an Oceanside City Councilmember representing San Diego County, scored the highest amongst all of the Commissioners, with a Conservation Voting Score of 90%, up from her 2009 score of 75%. Her score also helped the Assembly appointments as a whole, surpass the scores of the Senate Rules Committee and the Governor's appointments to the Commission. The overall score of the Coastal Commission for 2010 was 61% pro-conservation voting. This score is down from the 66% achieved in 2009. However, the Commission is still on the higher side of their 23-year average score of 51%.
Key votes reported in the 2010 Chart include the Dana Point Strands Beach Access battle that eventually lead to litigation with the City of Dana Point, where the Commissioners voted unanimously to protect California citizens' beach access interests. There are also instances reported where the Commission failed to protect the coast, such as the Carlsbad Desalination Plant permit revocation request that was denied by the Commissioners despite intentional fraudulent information.
The story of the Commission continues in 2011, including many new appointments. Six of the twelve voting members have been added to the Commission in the past six months. This change in composition of the Commission leads to more representation on the South Central Coast, including Commissioner Brian Brennan from Ventura, Dayna Bochco from Los Angeles, Wendy Mitchell from Los Angeles, and Jana Zimmer from Santa Barbara. Other new members include electeds Steven Kinsey from Marin and Martha McClure from Del Norte County.
These new Commissioners seem to possess saavy in Sacramento as well as Los Angeles politics. Overall, it looks like this will be a promising set of Commissioners, and Surfrider Foundation is hopeful that they will stand strong for coastal protection.
Labels: California Coastal Commission, Voting Chart
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Jana Zimmer Appointed at California Coastal Commissioner
Attorney-turned-Artist Jana Zimmer from Santa Barbara has been appointed to a "public" or "at large" seat on the California Coastal Commission. The seat was formerly held by David Allgood of San Diego and prior to that by former Commissioner Pat Kruer. Zimmer has been described as one of the most knowledgeable attorneys on the Central Coast on issues arising under the Coastal Act with experience in advocating for beach access, environmentally-sensitive habitat area ("ESHA") protection, protection of agricultural lands, and protection of surfing opportunities. Having worked for decades protecting El Capitan and the Gaviota Coast area of Santa Barbara, she will join her neighboring Commissioner, Ventura City Councilmember Brian Brennan, on the state agency.
This Assembly appointment to the Coastal Commission marks the fifth new appointment in the last two months for the twelve-member voting Commission. (The Commission has fifteen overall seats but three members are non-voting from the Resources Agency; State Lands Commission; and Business, Transportation and Housing Agency). Scott Peters, who has served on the Commission as an alternate before, has been confirmed as Zimmer's alternate as well. The recent high turnover of Commissioners makes for an interesting state agency to watch in the upcoming months.
This Assembly appointment to the Coastal Commission marks the fifth new appointment in the last two months for the twelve-member voting Commission. (The Commission has fifteen overall seats but three members are non-voting from the Resources Agency; State Lands Commission; and Business, Transportation and Housing Agency). Scott Peters, who has served on the Commission as an alternate before, has been confirmed as Zimmer's alternate as well. The recent high turnover of Commissioners makes for an interesting state agency to watch in the upcoming months.
Labels: CCC appointments
