Surfrider Foundation CA Coastal Issues Blog

January CA Coastal Commission Report

2012-01-20T14:11:00.000-08:00

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…

January Policy Update

2012-01-18T15:25:00.000-08:00

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.

New Marine Protected Areas In Effect!

2012-01-10T15:20:00.000-08:00

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.

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.

Go here for a great recent news articles.

Monthly Policy Update.

2011-10-19T14:26:00.000-07:00

Last month our update recapped exciting events from the legislative season. This months’ report will focus on a broad range of issues...

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

2011-10-19T14:19:00.000-07:00

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!

Surfrider and Reef Check California hold MPA Public Forum

2011-10-13T14:59:00.000-07:00

Charles Lester Steps into Coastal Commission Executive Director Role

2011-09-23T16:23:00.000-07:00

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.”

New Date Set for MLPA. Jan 1, 2012

2011-09-19T11:51:00.000-07:00

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.

Photo: Dana Murray

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:

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.

End of CA Legislative Season. Many Good Bills Head to Governor's Desk

2011-09-12T16:57:00.000-07:00

Photo: Matthew Hendricks

This was an exciting legislative season. The Surfrider Foundation co-sponsored a piece of legislation that was authored by Senator Lowenthal. SB 568 also known as The Sustainable Take-out Food Packaging Bill is geared toward phasing out Styrofoam food containers. Styrofoam is one of the biggest sources of litter on our beaches and in our oceans. The bill was put on hold and officially became a "2-year bill" (meaning it will come back during the next legislative season). It's fairly common for bills to become "2-year bills". Typically bills are put on hold to ensure enough votes are garnered from both houses to pass.

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.

MLPA Implementation Date Delayed

2011-09-01T10:41:00.000-07:00

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.

New Study Proves MPAs can Produce Miracle Results.

2011-08-15T15:14:00.000-07:00

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."

What? Your Favorite Park is Closed?

2011-08-09T18:10:00.000-07:00

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.

Major Monitoring Efforts Set for Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in Southern California

2011-08-09T16:57:00.000-07:00

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.

Photo Credit: Wisniewski/Reef Check California

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.

California Coastal Commission 2010 Voting Record and 2011 Outlook

2011-06-16T14:23:00.001-07:00

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.

Jana Zimmer Appointed at California Coastal Commissioner

2011-05-25T14:44:00.000-07:00

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.

Senate Rules Committee Appoints Two New Coastal Commissioners: Kinsey and Bochco

2011-05-19T17:05:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Marin County Supervisor Steve Kinsey was given the nod to serve as the North Central Coast Elected Representative on the California Coastal Commission. Senate president pro tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, appointed Kinsey for a four-year term on the Commission, following his experience as an alternate Coastal Commissioner from 2007 to 2009. Sebastopol City Councilmember Sarah Gurney, the number one choice by a group of environmental organizations that interviewed candidates, was re-appointed as an alternate. Gurney was formerly an alternate to San Francisco Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi in the previous four-year term, as well.

An environmental activist from the Los Angeles area, Dayna Bochco, was also appointed by the Senate Rules Committee to replace long time Commissioner Sara Wan. Wan had served 15 years on the Commission and was looked to as a leader from staff and other environmentalists. Wan consistently rated as a high, if not the highest, Commissioner Voting Score in the California Coastal Commission Voting Chart. The Los Angeles Times reports that Wan riled the state Democratic Leadership; however, with her controversial election as Chair of the Coastal Commission.

Bochco sits on the Board of environmental groups such as Heal the Bay and Natural Resources Defense Council's Southern California Leadership Council. Her well-known husband, Steven Bochco, is a Hollywood producer, and the couple run a production company together.

North Coast California Coastal Commission Appointee is Martha McClure of the Del Norte Board of Supervisors

2011-05-13T14:18:00.000-07:00

Today, Supervisor Martha McClure has been appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown to fill Bonnie Neely's former seat on the California Coastal Commission.

McClure has served as Del Norte County Supervisor since 1996. She was recently active on the MLPA process on the North Coast to facilitate a collaborative model for the Del Norte, Humboldt and Mendocino counties. McClure will represent these very counties on the Commission.

Read more here.

Brian Brennan Chosen as Coastal Commissioner

2011-04-15T07:51:00.000-07:00

Brian Brennan was appointed by Governor Jerry Brown to the California Coastal Commission yesterday to serve as the elected representative for the South Central Coast.

Brian Brennan is currently a Ventura City Council member. Brian’s record on the Ventura City Council is also an excellent example of the knowledgeable and multi-dimensional approach that will be utilized in the Commission decision-making. In his position on the Ventura City Council, he has built consensus among competing stakeholders to allow for coastal access to complement development. His experience as a business owner in coastal communities gives him a unique perspective on the use and protection of the coast in a responsible, sustainable manner. Most importantly, Brian was a founding member of the Ventura County Surfrider Chapter. He has been a champion of the coast for many years.

Read more about the appointment here.

Ocean Day in Sacramento and Movement for SB 568 Polystyrene Ban

2011-04-05T10:43:00.000-07:00

On April 4, 2011, over 60 individuals from 30 environmental groups around the state descended on the Capitol for the 4th annual "Ocean Day", in order to educate state legislators and their staff about the important ocean issues of the year. The agenda included advocacy for plastic pollution and water quality issues, marine protected areas, and sustainable marine ecosystems and fisheries. Surfrider Foundation had eight representatives from our network and staff present to help with the lobby day, including Humboldt Chapter's Jen Savage, Monterey Chapter's Tony Tersol and Central Coast Manager Sarah Damron pictured below.

Also, on April 4th, Ocean Advocates were able to express their support for SB 568, a bill to prohibit polystyrene take out ware in restaurants throughout the state. Polystyrene foam particles have been found as a leading component of beach and marine litter. In addition to harming marine life, such as sea turtles, marine mammals, and sea birds every year, reports have linked polystyrene to threatening human health by leaching toxins into our food chain. In order to address this problem, already 47 local jurisdictions have banned polystyrene food containers in California. Yesterday, the Senate Environmental Quality Committee heard this bill and passed it on to the Senate Floor by a vote of 5 to 2.

Marine Protected Areas Adopted by Fish and Game Commission

2010-12-17T14:03:00.000-08:00

Surfrider Foundation Issues Statement on Marine Life Protection Act

San Clemente, CA (December 16, 2010) – After several years of hard work and negotiations, the California Fish & Game Commission approved a network of 36 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in Southern California – part of a statewide process required by the 1999 Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA). The MLPA’s goals are to: ‘set aside’ areas of the ocean to increase fish populations, enhance marine habitat, and improve recreational and educational opportunities. Research on MPAs from around the world proves that they create larger fish populations and increase biodiversity within their boundaries.

Over the past two years, the Surfrider Foundation worked tirelessly with diverse constituencies, including commercial and recreational fishermen, divers, surfers, kayak fishermen, environmental activists and beach goers to help provide balanced input during the MLPA process. The Foundation conducted extensive outreach by surveying members and non-members (nearly 550 people completed a survey); arranging and participating in “one-on-one” meetings with stakeholders including fishermen, ardent conservationists, ocean-users, and the chapters; holding community forums to discuss map recommendations; and attending all of the public meetings held during the two-year process. The Surfrider Foundation also created its own map that reflected views from both activists who wanted to maximize the size of the marine reserves and fishermen who wanted them limited. The organization submitted its map of alternatives to Fish & Game for consideration, and used it to determine support for the proposed alternatives.

“We did our best to reach out to our membership, the fishing community and environmental organizations,” said Joe Geever, Surfrider Foundation’s California Policy Coordinator. “Many members of the Regional Stakeholders Group representing diverse interests told us that Surfrider brought creative and respectful proposals to the discussion and they appreciated our efforts to find the elusive ‘common ground’.”

At the end of the process, the Blue Ribbon Task Force reviewed all the proposed maps and introduced a hybrid called the Integrated Preferred Alternative (IPA)., When the Surfrider Foundation compared its map with the IPA, they decided that there was enough overlap in most places to support the IPA.

The California Fish & Game Commission chose the IPA map to undergo “environmental review” and the Foundation submitted comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Report. They also launched an “action alert” in support of the final map, the IPA. Over 2,400 Surfrider supporters sent letters to the Fish & Game Commission urging them to adopt the IPA. In the end, some Surfrider Foundation members felt the IPA went too far, while many more felt it did not to protect enough area in Southern California. The Surfrider Foundation thinks the IPA met the goal of finding a compromise not only for those who worked so hard on the Regional Stakeholder Group process, but also for the diverse concerns of its membership.

“It was a rewarding experience to work with so many diverse voices involved in the process,” said Stefanie Sekich-Quinn, Surfrider Foundation’s Campaign Specialist. “While negotiations are always a delicate balance, we believe the final product is a science-based, fair-minded proposal that will help restore important ocean ecosystems.”

To learn more about Surfrider Foundation’s involvement in this two-year process, visit http://mlpasurfrider.blogspot.com/.

About Surfrider Foundation

The Surfrider Foundation is a non-profit grassroots organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of our world’s oceans, waves and beaches. Founded in 1984 by a handful of visionary surfers in Malibu, California, the Surfrider Foundation now maintains over 50,000 members and 90 chapters worldwide. For more information on the Surfrider Foundation, go to www.surfrider.org.

Hundreds of people attend Commission hearing.

Joe Geever, Staff member for Surfrider, writing his speech at the Dec 14 Commission hearing.

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California Coastal Commission Appointments Post-election but Pre-transition

2010-11-24T09:10:00.000-08:00

Governor Schwarzenegger is warming up to make a couple California Coastal Commission appointments before leaving office in January. The soon-to-be open seats are for the North Coast District elected official (filled by outgoing elected Bonnie Neely) and the South Central Coast District (filled by Commissioner Achadjian who was elected to the state Assembly). Governor Schwarzenegger called for the list of candidates with no public announcement and little-to-no notice to interested candidates. For the South Central Coast, Pismo Beach's Mary Ann Reiss and San Luis Obispo's Bruce Gibson have been nominated. In the North Coast, District Supervisor Mark Lovelace and Arcata City Councilman Mark Wheetley appear to be the local possibilities for nomination.

According to the recent Times-Standard article, Governor-elect Jerry Brown is not expected to act on these Commission appointments or any new public appointments any time soon after taking office, opting to focus on the state's budget dilemma.

A current list of Coastal Commissioners can be found, with their voting scores in the 2009 CCC Voting Chart.

Los Angeles County Bans the Bag!

2010-11-17T10:03:00.000-08:00

Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted yesterday to ban single-use plastic bags and put a 10 cent fee on single-use paper bags in the Los Angeles County area. The ban will specifically affect supermarkets and pharmacies in the County's unincorporated areas, which still affect over 1 million people. That makes this ban the largest municipal effort to date!

Julia Brownley, the author of the recently-failed statewide legislation (AB 1998), was on hand to give testimony as to why this bill is important for the environment, for our oceans, for the natural aesthetics of our neighborhoods, and for fiscally-responsible communities to avoid clean-up and litter abatement costs. County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky echoed these comments, stating that it is time to "be part of the solution, not part of the pollution." He also thanked the County Counsel for their outstanding background work in analyzing the environmental and fiscal impacts of the ordinance. Both Yaroslavsky and Chairwoman Gloria Molina expressed the hope that the rest of the state of California will take notice of this bag ban and work to implement similar ordinances in their areas.

The final ordinance was approved by County Supervisors Molina, Yaroslavsky, and Ridley-Thomas with an objection by Antonovich. Supervisor Don Kanabe was absent, but was able to suggest a friendly-amendment to the bill to allow all reusable bags which can be cleaned or disinfected. This amendment was added to create more jobs in the LA area by reusable bag manufacturers. There was also an amendment to conform the wording of the bill to AB 1998 standards to protect from lead contamination, in addition to the Prop 65 standards which are already in place.

Overall, it was a good day for Surfrider activists in LA and California who work to Rise Above Plastics!

Southern California One Step Away from a Network of Marine Protected Areas.

2010-10-28T11:16:00.001-07:00

Last week, over 700 surfers, students, divers, business owners, and elected officials turned out in record numbers to the Fish and Game Commission hearing. This hearing was the last Fish and Game meeting before the Commission officially adopts a network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in December. Here’s a great article about the meeting.

Just a handful of Surfrider representatives (Bill Hickman, Joe Geever and Julia Chunn) amongst the hundreds of people who attended the meeting.

At the hearing, Surfrider representatives and local volunteers spoke in favor of implementing a strong network of MPAs and adopting the Integrated Preferred Alterative map (which the Commission has chosen to go forward under the State environmental review process; via the California Environmental Quality Act). After 2 years of planning, thousands of letters, and hundreds of hours of public meetings, the Fish and Game Commission will finally implement a network of MPAs at the Dec 15^th meeting. Don’t miss your opportunity to attend the last hearing and speak in favor of Marine Protected Areas, AND witness the Commission make its historic decision.

If you are interested in attending this hearing (in Santa Barbara, please contact Stefanie at: Ssekich@surfrider.org).

Coastal Commission Voting Trends for 2009

2010-10-08T13:24:00.000-07:00

Today marks the release of the 2009 California Coastal Commission Conservation Voting Chart, which measures the pro-conservation scores of the California Coastal Commission, the State’s most powerful land use agency, charged with the protecting our 1,100 mile coastline. The voting chart is produced by Surfrider Foundation, California Coastkeeper Alliance, Sierra Club, Coastal Protection Network, and League for Coastal Protection. The Chart reports and analyzes the most important coastal votes of 2009. The 25 votes in this year’s chart involve significant coastal issues decided by the Commission during their twelve monthly meetings in 2009, including the shoreline armoring efforts in Capitola and Santa Barbara, as well as the final go-ahead for largest desalination facility in North America. The voting chart is designed to illuminate individual Commissioners’ voting sensitivities. In addition, the report illustrates the relative successes and failures of the appointments made by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Senate Rules Committee led by Darrell Steinberg, and then Speaker of the Assembly Karen Bass. The scoring information in the 2009 chart is also intended to inform the upcoming Commission appointments. Commissioners seats up for appointment or reappointment include those of Commissioners Sara Wan, Bill Burke, Pat Kruer and Ross Mirkarimi.

This year's Chart clearly displays a trend toward conservation voting amongst the Commissioners. The total Commission Conservation Voting score went up markedly from 38% in 2008 to 66% in 2009. This is an increase of 28 percentage points, which is undoubtedly due to the wisdom of the new appointments to the Commission in 2009, including three of the top four scores of Commissioners Mark Stone (100%), Ross Mirkarimi (95%), and Ester Sanchez (75%). Importantly, the appointments of Stone and Sanchez helped to reflect on the Speaker of the Assembly's appointment score, which increased from 31% in 2008 to 69% in 2009.

This year's Chart reports on several important votes that included Surfrider Foundation participation. Beach management and shoreline armoring issues were featured in the Santa Barbara Goleta Beach and Pacifica Swan Valley decisions. Even though the Commission voted favorably on these projects in order to prevent future armoring and sand loss, the Commission has failed to come up with a proactive alternative to "emergency" seawall permits. These emergency permits continue to allow for armoring the California coastline with minimal public input, analysis of alternatives or redress. As evidenced by the Mariposa Land Company decision in this Chart, these "emergency" permits can allow seawalls to persist for years or even decades, without proper forethought or review.

Nonetheless, Surfrider will continue to monitor the activity of the California Coastal Commission and ensure that the Commission is fulfilling its legislative charge to protect, conserve, restore and enhance environmental and human resources of the California coast.

To view the 2009 Chart, click here.

South Coast MLPA Updates

2010-10-01T12:31:00.001-07:00

Mark your calendars! The Fish and Game Commission will be holding the final 'discussion hearing' about the MLPA process in San Diego on Oct 20-21 (we are still not sure what day they will specifically discuss the south coast MLPA, but mark your calendars, regardless). The final 'adoption hearing' will be in Santa Barbara (Dec 15-16).

In other Commission news... this week, the Commission held an "emergency meeting" to discuss delaying the final environmental review process--which would have been a set back for the implementation date. Fortunately the Commission voted to only postpone comments for the Draft Environmental Impact (DEIR) by 15 days instead of 45; so the hearings in San Diego and Santa Barbra are still on track.

In the next few days Surfrider will be re-launching our Action Alert asking the Commission to adopt the IPA (the final map that is before them). Surfrider spent the past 2 years meeting with a diverse community of people invested in the MLPA process and we believe the IPA map meets MLPA guidelines; contains viewpoints from conversationalists and fishermen alike; and in the end, the IPA will produce productive Marine Protected Areas in the future (which is vitally important to both the Surfrider Foundation and the Fish and Game Commission).

If you have questions about the upcoming hearings and would like to testify in support of the IPA, please contact Stefanie at: Ssekich@surfrider.org

Malibu Septics to Sewer Decision affirmed!

2010-09-28T14:24:00.001-07:00

On September 21st, the State Water Quality Control Board affirmed the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board's decision from last November to require a septic ban and phase out for the 550 businesses in central and eastern Malibu, in favor of a centralized sewer system. Septics will be phased out in Malibu's Civic Center Area by 2019. Septic systems in Malibu have long contributed to the chronic pollution problems at Malibu Creek, Malibu Lagoon and the historic Surfrider Beach. A central sewer system will significantly improve water quality by reducing the risk of septic systems leaching into the groundwater and contaminating the Malibu coastline with high levels of bacteria. Millions of visitors along Malibu's beautiful coastline can finally look forward to the day when they no longer swim and surf in the putrid pathogens coming from contaminated groundwater. As the Guardian news article reported: "The affluent will have to take their effluent elsewhere."

Marine Protected Areas Soon to be Adopted by Fish and Game Commission

2010-07-20T17:49:00.000-07:00

The Surfrider Foundation has been working on the Marine Life Protection Act in southern California for nearly 2 years, and the final "adoption process" of protected areas is coming to close.

Last year, Surfrider Foundation recommended that Fish and Game Commission adopt the Integrated Preferred Alternative (IPA) map. The Commission has taken over a year to review all the maps before them and has to chosen the IPA as the most feasible map. The IPA will now officially go forward in environmental review (i.e through a state law called the California Environmental Quality Act CEQA).

It is important the Commission still hear from individual about the importance of implementing the IPA. The Surfrider Foundation created this action alert that will go directly to the Commissioners, please take a few seconds to sign and share with your friends. Go here to sign.

Park Protection Efforts Move Forward.

2010-07-20T17:33:00.000-07:00

Last winter we wrote about the poor state of our state park system. The Surfrider Foundation has an affinity for parks--not only because our Save Trestles campaign stopped a toll road from running through San Onofre State Park (and potentially ruining the surrounding watershed); but we also appreciate the state park system because 7 of the top 10 most popular parks in California are located along our precious coastline!

California's state parks are falling apart because of decades of underfunding. State budget cuts are causing parks to 'fall behind in the system' and there is currently more than $1 billion 'backlog' of maintenance. Our state parks are struggling financially and need permanent funding to ensure they are maintained (i.e. hiking trials, campsites, bathrooms, visitor centers, kiosks, etc), AND that enough staff and personal are hired to ensure our parks are safe (i.e. lifeguards, rangers, facility managers, etc). Last November, the Surfrider Foundation supported the California State Park and Wildlife Conservation Trust Fund Act of 2010 as a way to maintain healthy parks.

This summer, the California State Park and Wildlife Conservation Trust Fund Act officially qualified for the November ballot; now called Proposition 21. Prop 21, slated for the Nov 2 election, will create stable and adequate funding for parks. The funding would come from an annual "State Park Access Pass" surcharge of $18 per California vehicle. The surcharge will apply to California vehicles and in exchange, they would receive free day-use admission to Parks throughout the year.

The folks running the ballot initiative are looking for supporters and volunteers, please visit their website.

Please review a recent blog post about why Surfrider is supporting park protection efforts.

Pro-Oil Drilling Legislation Defeated in CA and Thousands Gather in Opposition to Drilling.

2010-07-20T16:21:00.000-07:00

Every spring and summer several bills go through the state legislature. Fortunately, the Surfrider Foundation caught Assembly Bill 2719, which would have opened our coastlines to more drilling in California state waters. The bill was defeated after staunch opposition from the Surfrider Foundation and Environment California. Surfrider, along with Environment California, headed out on a "Not the Answer Road Show" of five California towns to educate local communities about the dangers of drilling and the importance of defeating the bill. Toward the end of the "road show" the bill was defeated in the Natural Resource Committee.

To learn more about our Not the Answer Campaign go here.

In other oil news... on June 26th, thousands of Californians joined hands in opposition to offshore oil drilling. The "Hands Across the Sand" movement started in Florida and has now become a worldwide movement of grassroots citizens. On June 26 over 100,000 people joined hands around the world at 900 different sites. The event was featured on CNN, New York Times, and other major media outlets. The Surfrider Foundation was the main sponsor for a press conference at the Santa Monica Pier which drew celebrities, elected officials, and concerned citizens.

Here are a few videos from the event.

This video was shown on CNN iReport featuring Laird Hamilton, Here is another video from the press conference

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And this 15 sec video was taken by a lifeguard from his tower. Great birds-eye view!

BAN the BAG through California Legislation

2010-04-26T15:46:00.000-07:00

Many of California's cities have been trying to regulate plastic bag consumption for years, recognizing that something must be done about the flimsy petroleum-based product that is difficult to recycle and all too often ends up as a littered eyesore.

Due to the outcry of our Chapters to address the issue of plastic pollution on our oceans and beaches, Surfrider Foundation has been working to support statewide legislation to Ban the Bag. Right now, Assembly Bill 1998 (Brownley) is being assessed by our legislature. The bill would ban all single-use carryout plastic bags, limit the distribution of paper bags, and require reusable bags to be available for purchase. This is the most progressive effort of any other state in the nation!

To find out more and take action, check out this action alert from Heal the Bay and Environment California, our partner organizations for addressing plastic pollution.

New Bill to Ban Plastic Bags in California

2010-03-05T16:03:00.000-08:00

Assembly Bill 1998 will reduce dangerous plastic bag litter pollution by banning plastic bags at large retail outlets and charging a 25 cent "green bag fee" for any paper bag purchases. The money from the fee will go to the Paper Bag Pollution Clean Up Fund, which provides for reusable bag giveaway programs.

Plastic bags are a primary component of ocean litter. Over one million sea birds and 100,000 marine mammals die each year from ingestion or entanglement in plastics. This is why on World Oceans Day 2009, the Under-Secretary General and Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme called for an outright ban on thin-film plastic bags worldwide. The plastic litter problem is also costing our state tens of millions of dollars in litter clean up and abatement costs each year.

To read more in a OpEd from Assemblymember Julia Brownley and Enviroment California, click here.

California Know Your H20 Policy Update

2010-02-16T15:26:00.000-08:00

Know Your H2O Film Project:

The animated video is progressing very well. The plan is to launch the video on World Water Day (March 22^nd) with some coordinated events, media and video screenings.

This film depicts the Surfrider Foundation's vision of current problems with the way we manage freshwater, and solutions that can not only provide sustainable future supplies but take meaningful steps towards restoring our coast and ocean. It gives everyone from homeowners to government agencies a blueprint for change.

The film was made possible by countless hours from talented and dedicated volunteers, and financial contributions from several chapters.

Ocean Desalination Projects:

Our Request for Revocation based on a flawed greenhouse gas mitigation plan was voted down by the Coastal Commission. However, they also voted down Poseidon's motion that eliminated the findings that they had intentionally misled the Commission by refusing to provide documents undermining their GHG mitigation calculation. The action by the Coastal Commission was weak, but we believe compulsory mitigation of greenhouse gases is a marginal victory and important legal precedent for future desal proposals.

We are waiting to hear from the State Water Resources Control Board on their decision whether or not to go forward with our challenge of the Poseidon-Carlsbad intake permit. We hope to hear something in the next week or so. This decision will also be critical to ensuring only proposals that use the best design, location and technology to minimize marine life mortality are approved for Carlsbad and any future desal proposal.

Poseidon-Huntington is now preparing a Supplemental EIR. We have not seen the issues they plan to address. But our experience in Carlsbad makes us better prepared to comment on the SEIR in Huntington Beach.

Ocean Friendly Gardens:

We presented the OFG program to the Coastal Commission and Coastal Conservancy staff last week. They are interested in doing a pilot "urban watershed renovation" project with multiple NGOs to document the benefits of LID, OFG, daylighting urban creeks, etc. We think it might make sense to just do a carefully selected neighborhood and get some before and after data on dry & wet weather runoff — both volume and pollutant loading. They liked it and we are scheduled to go back in March to walk a neighborhood in San Francisco that may serve as a pilot. We hope to convince the Coastal Conservancy to do a pilot in Southern California as well — maybe the San Jon sub-watershed in Ventura that the Ventura Chapter has identified. Check it out here:

http://www.venturariver.org/2008/01/urban-watershed-planning-ventura-ca.html

Recycled Wastewater:

The study in San Diego is moving forward and the progress is positive - yet slow.

Also, Surfrider Foundation is now a member of the multi-stakeholder Los Angeles Recycled Wastewater planning group and will attend our first meeting on Feb 25.

Finally, California Senator Pavley has drafted a bill directing the Department of Public Health to promulgate drinking water quality standards for recycled wastewater. As is, we think the bill is a step in the right direction. We are looking into the bill and we'll be talking to PCL (who sponsored the bill), and then maybe Senator Pavley's office with some suggested improvements.

City Ordinances:

Los Angeles is considering some fairly progressive ordinances to implement LID and "green streets."

Also, cities statewide are trying to meet the deadlines for implementing their own landscape/irrigation ordinances for new development - or just implement the State’s model ordinance. Finding and highlighting innovative ordinances will be one way that we can promote best practices.

California Stemming the Tide of Plastics to our Oceans

2010-02-10T14:10:00.000-08:00

ABC News recently did a special report following Algalita Marine Research Foundation's work on plastics in our ocean and in our fish and marine life. While the report mentions that coastal communities are addressing the problem by trying to prevent plastics and litter from entering our oceans, waves and beaches, it does not mention the statewide efforts that are underway in Hawaii, Oregon, DC, Florida and elsewhere. Here in California, the following bills have been proposed:

- SB 4 Cigarette Butt Ban on our Beaches and Parks
- AB 925 Leash your Lid to prevent bottle caps from entering waterways
- Stemming the Tide of Plastic Bags (through a fee or ban)
- Polystyrene Ban for take out ware
- Extended Producer Responsibility ("EPR")

Surfrider Foundation is working directly to support these initiatives and with the help of other organizations in the Clean Seas Coalition to make our voices heard in the State Capitol and to our local representatives.

State Parks Being Held for Ransom?

2010-01-12T11:16:00.000-08:00

Our last blog post explored new efforts to protect our State Parks (the "State Park Access Pass" ballot initiative...and (unfortunately) this blog post explores another haphazard plan by the Governor to hold our Parks for ransom.

The Governor released a new budget scheme to fund parks through revenues generated by offshore oil drilling near Santa Barbara, CA. Never mind that the oil drilling project has been rejected twice (once by the State Lands Commission and then again in the legislative budget process).

Assemblyman Huffman summarizes the situation best: "Blackmail might be a better term for it," said Assemblyman Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, who chairs the Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee. "He's saying I'll fund the parks if you'll open up the coast to new oil drilling."

The Governor's plan rubs Surfrider wrong for many reasons. First, we are partnering with other organizations to protect our state park system--aside from fighting to keep a six-lane toll road out of San Onofre State Beach, we are working to safeguard our underfunded "park system" so our members can enjoy safe and clean state beaches. Secondly, we think this 'new plan' is especially appalling because California's ocean, waves and beaches are vital recreational, economic and ecological treasures that will be polluted by increased oil drilling.

Surfrider launched a campaign: "Not the Answer". The campaign asks the fundamental question: why are decision-makers still advocating for environmentally harmful ways to meet oil needs, when they should be seeking a comprehensive and environmentally sustainable plan that includes conservation and alternative energy?

The answer to this question certianly doesn't reside in the Governors new plan to hold our parks ransom.

Take action and tell your elected officials the Governor's plan is not the answer!

Click here to read Surfrider's official response to the swindle.

The Most Popular State Parks are Along the Coastline--Help Protect Them!

2009-12-15T15:06:00.000-08:00

For those of you who follow California politics and the Governor's agenda, you still might be cringing from the threat to close 80% of our State Parks and Beaches. While that death sentence didn't fully come to fruition, California Parks and Beaches are facing some closures and major cutbacks-- and it will become painfully obvious next spring and summer when people show up to State Parks and realize lifeguard numbers are drastically down, Park amenities (bathroom, kiosks, etc) are in shabby-shape, and a few Parks have padlocks around the gates. (Photo: DestinationCoupons.com) The current 'State of our State Parks' can be described like this:

"Sort of closed, sort of open." That's how Greg Retsinas, an editor at the Santa Rosa Press Democrat, summed up the cutbacks to California's beleaguered state park system. See more articles about the 'State of State Parks' here and here.

Our friends at the California State Parks Foundation are spearheading a statewide ballot measure, slated for November 2010, which would create a stable source of funding for the state park system, wildlife conservation, and to provide increased and equitable access to those resources for all Californians. Funding would come from an annual "State Park Access Pass" surcharge of $18 per vehicle. The surcharge would apply to California vehicles and they would receive free day-use admission throughout the year. Voters need to approve the measure. The Surfrider Foundation Headquarters has singed on as an official supporter of this effort because we believe our State Parks need protection (see below for more info). If you would like to learn more about the State Park Access Pass and how you can gather signatures to qualify it for the ballot please visit here.

Why Surfrider Wants Park Protection:

1.) Popularity and Number of State Beaches

State Beaches are the most visited parks within the California State Park system.
8 of the top 10 most popular parks are State Beaches.
California has over 320 miles of beachfront State Parks. That's almost 30% of our State coastline!
State beaches and coastal park units encompass half of the total coastal land in California open to the public.
There are 278 (classified and unclassified) park units in California. 125 of those units are located on the coast. (Parks and Recreation Department, 2008)
Clearly, our State Beaches occupy a large portion of the coastline, they are extremely popular, and they need protecting.

2.) Park Visitors Bring Economic Stimulus

Every year, millions of people visit State Parks and spend money in local economies. A study prepared in 2002 for the Parks and Recreation Department concluded that $2.6 billion was generated by visitor spending in local communities.

* Example of State Beaches that stimulate local economies:

A study by California Polytechnic University found that visitors to Morro Bay State Park added $15 million to the local economy over two years. The visitors expenditures were responsible for 364 jobs in Morro Bay primarily in recreation, amusement, hotels, restaurants, and retail shops.

UCLA researchers have found that surfers attracted to Trestles generate millions of dollars for the local economy by spending money at restaurants, local shops, gas stations, rentals and other beach-related items.

3.) The Importance of Public Access to the Coast, Especially Low-Cost Access

A major tenet of the Surfrider Foundation is to promote the right of low-impact, free, and open access to the world's waves and beaches for all people.
The proposed State Park Access Pass is an ideal way to lift current economic barriers in place by eliminating costly, daily beach fees (which are members pay regularly).
The Surfrider Foundation believes State Parks need to be protected and properly funded to ensure universal access to State beaches.

4.) Surfrider Campaign to Save our State Parks! Defeating a Toll Road through San Onofre State Beach

San Onofre draws in more than 2.5 million people annually and is the 6th most visited State Park.
The San Mateo Watershed, also within San Onofre, is one of the last undeveloped watersheds in California and feeds clean water to Trestles Beach.
If the toll road were constructed, it would have sent send polluted runoff into both San Mateo Creek and Trestles Beach.
The toll road would have reduced access to surrounding surf breaks.

Join Surfrider Foundation in Standing up for Our Parks.

Trash TMDLs with TEETH

2009-12-11T15:29:00.000-08:00

Yesterday marked a great victory for keeping trash out of our ocean due to the action of the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board. The LA Water Board voted to incorporate the Zero Trash TMDL (total maximum daily load) into the Municipal Stormwater Permit (or MS4 permits). The vote was recommended by staff and recieved a unanimous 5-0 vote from the Board. The action will help stem the trash that flows into the Los Angeles River and, of course, flows downstream to Long Beach (LB City Councilwoman Suja Lowenthal was present to testify on what it does to the shoreline).

The Regional Board's action is a big step forward in reducing trash in the LA River and reducing the amount of Marine Debris in our ocean. This will complement Surfrider's hard work on our Rise Above Plastics, Ocean Friendly Gardens and Ballona Creek clean up and restoration effots. For more info, check out this LA Times article.

Richard Bloom appointed as new Coastal Commissioner

2009-12-08T13:57:00.000-08:00

Santa Monica City Councilman Richard Bloom was appointed as California's newest Coastal Commissioner today by the Senate Rules Committee and President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg. Bloom will be the South Coast area representative on the Commission, filling one of the six "electeds" seats on the Commission, as one of the twelve voting members.

When interviewing with Surfrider Foundation and other environmental groups for this position, Bloom affirmed his priority for protecting the environment above all other factors and especially public parks, which he regards as our legacy to the future. This won him the recommendation of the environmental groups, along with Gerrie Shipske from Long Beach and Pam O'Connor from Santa Monica.

Bloom is an attorney by profession and also chairs the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission. For more information on Bloom's appointment, click here.

Last Chance to Speak Up on South Coast Marine Protected Areas

2009-11-20T12:47:00.000-08:00

Attend Commission Hearing on Dec 9th in LA

The 'end of the line' for South Coast Marine Protected Areas has arrived! Dec 9th marks the final meeting in a 'yearlong process', and we need you to attend. Recently, the Blue Ribbon Task Force unanimously voted to forward a final map to the Fish and Game Commission. The map, called the Integrated Preferred Alternative (IPA), is a hybrid map representing diverse Stakeholder views.

The MLPA, as a law, was designed and written to ensure diverse views were incorporated into the final map. Surfrider fully supports the IPA because we believe it contains a balance of conservation and fishing interests--and perspectives from all ocean users. The Commission will base its decision on public support--and that's why they need to hear from you on Dec 9th!

Please attend the hearing and express that you are concerned about preserving ocean resources and that you support a 'balanced' proposal that provides strong protection while incorporating diverse stakeholder perspectives.

To see the IPA go here: If you would like help with talking points for the Dec 9th meeting, please contact Stefanie at: Ssekich@surfrider.org To stay updated about Surfrider MLPA efforts and to send an action alert to the Commission here:

Dec 9th Meeting Information:
Radisson Hotel--LAX
6225 W. Century Blvd
Los Angeles, CA
**please note, the agenda has note been released, but we are assuming public comment will be in the early afternoon. Please visit our blog regularly for the times**

Attend a Hearing to Defeat a Proposal to Build a Landfill atop an Aquifer

2009-11-13T13:41:00.000-08:00

Thought a toll road running through a State Park seemed like a bad concept. How about a landfill on top of an aquifer and near an aqueduct in a geologically unstable region containing Native American scared sites. Unfortunately that is what proponents of the Gregory Landfill are pushing (and have been for for many, many years).

We need activists in San Diego to attend an important hearing Nov 18th in San Diego. To learn more about this horrible project and why we need you to attend the hearing on Nov 18, go here

Marine Life Protection Act Final Map sent to Fish and Game Commission.

2009-11-13T13:17:00.000-08:00

This week, the Blue Ribbon Task Force unanimously voted to forward the Integrated Preferred Alternative (IPA) map to the Fish and Game Commission. The IPA is a hybrid map containing shapes from all the Regional Stakeholder Group maps.

Surfrider is pleased with the map because we believe some of our recommendations were considered and incorporated into the final map. The BRTF will present the IPA to the Fish and Game Commission on Dec 9 and the Commission will make a final decision early in 2010.

See a write up on Surfrider's thoughts about the final map here.

Offshore Drilling Risks to Economy and Proposed Oil Severance Tax in California

2009-11-03T16:49:00.001-08:00

Last week, Environment America published an expertly written report using dollar signs to elucidate the risks to our coastal economies from any increase in offshore drilling. According to "Oceans Under the Gun," a new report written by Environment America, our clean beaches and oceans support a vibrant coastal tourism and fishing economy that generates $55 billion per year in California. "Our oceans are truly 'under the gun,' threatened by Big Oil and their allies in Congress who want to expand offshore drilling," said Gina Goodhill, Ocean Advocate with Environment California.

"Offshore drilling severely threatens our national treasures: the beautiful oceans, waves and beaches that provide irreplaceable recreational, economic and ecological resources," states Surfrider Foundation's Legal Manager, Angela Howe. "Now more than ever, we need our California State Legislature and the U.S. Congress to stand strong against any new offshore drilling and incentivize a shift to a more environmentally sustainable energy plan."

The California Legislature has an opportunity to do just that by enacting the Oil Industry Fair Share Act AB 6X (Nava) to charge an oil severance tax on oil companies to pay their fair share. California is the third largest oil producing state in the nation and the only major oil producing state that does not charge this oil severance tax.

This bill would establish a 10% severance tax on the gross value of every barrel of oil produced in the state and prohibit oil companies from passing on the tax to the consumers in the form of higher gas prices. The deposits revenues from the oil severance tax would go into the state's General Fund.

Surfrider's Map Recommendations for the Marine Life Protection Act

2009-10-16T15:48:00.000-07:00

We recently released the following recommendations for the proposed maps. You can view our memo here: (click on the picture below to enlarge map).

We need people to attend the Blue Ribbon Task-force meeting on Oct 21 to testify in support of our recommendations. To learn more, email Stefanie at: Ssekich@surfrider.org

Park Protection News: Bills Awaiting Governor's Signature and the State of State Parks

2009-09-30T12:22:00.000-07:00

The past few weeks have been interesting for California State Parks. Two very important bills (that Surfrider actively supported during the legislative season) passed out of the Assembly and Senate and are now sitting on the Governor's desk waiting for his signature. He has until Oct 11 to sign. SB 679 (Wolk) protects Parks by setting a requirement that parklands used for "non-park purposes" must be replaced by other park lands that are of equal environmental, recreational, and fair market value.

SB 372 (Kehoe) simply requires the Legislature to make a final decision about allowing any "non-park" use in a state park system (i.e. the Legislature finally has a say in horrible projects like a toll road through a state park). Please take one minute to contact the Governor and ask him to sign the bills.

Finally, as you may have heard last week, the Governor released a statement saying the State would avoid permanently closing several state parks. In the statement, he also proposed major changes to the state park system in order to "close some of the budget gap". While it's fantastic news parks will not be permanently closed, some parks will be partially or seasonally closed. He also proposed major reductions in seasonal staff, reductions in hours of operation at most state parks, and reduced maintenance.

This all means having fewer lifeguards on state beaches, poorly maintained facilities (i.e. restrooms, kiosks, etc), that will inevitably impact the health and safety of our parks. Our friends at the California State Parks Foundation say it best"

"We all want to see our state parks open, and it's been the efforts of advocates that have kept the Governor's feet to the fire since late May. But California State Parks Foundation isn't fully celebrating this news yet. While the Governor has found a clever way to get political cover on this issue, it's not clear that this plan won't actually leave Californians with just as limited access to their state parks as if they had been fully closed".

Review their statement and learn more about parks closures.

Check back here on Oct 11 to view an update about the bills sitting on the Governor's desk!

Explore Maps of Marine Protected Areas with the Surfrider Foundation!

2009-09-02T15:54:00.000-07:00

Decades of overfishing, coastal development, and pollution have taken a toll on Southern California's ocean environment. To help improve our ocean's health, the State is setting aside protected zones similar to state parks so that marine life can thrive.

After a year of map-making and planning, the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) process is in the home stretch. Local stakeholders are putting final touches on the maps and will come up with three different proposals. The three proposals will ultimately be forwarded to the Fish and Game Commission where they will vote on one map they think will work best for southern California.

This is one of your last chances to give meaningful input on where marine protected areas should be located! Please join Surfrider to learn more about the Marine Life Protection Act and to discuss the proposed maps. After the community forums, Surfrider will compile all constructive comments into a letter that will be sent to decision makers before the final vote. We need to hear from you!

AGENDA:

7:00-7:10 Welcome and brief overview.
7:10-7:20 Summary of Surfrider's outreach efforts over the past year and what we learned from local communities and Surfrider supporters.
7:20-7:40 Overview and discussion of each map.
7:40-8:00 Questions & Answers.

WHEN: Four different forums will be held in the following areas: Orange County, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles and San Diego. All forums will be from 7-8pm.

WHERE:

Sept 23. San Clemente Senior Center: 242 Avenida Del Mar. San Clemente, CA 92672.
Sept 24. Watershed Resource Center: 2981 Cliff Drive. Santa Barbara, CA 93109
Sept 29. Santa Monica Library—Ocean Park Branch: 2601 Main St. Santa Monica, CA 90405
Sept 30. Encinitas Community Center: 1140 Oakcrest Park Drive. Encinitas, CA 92024

About the Marine Life Protection Act

The MLPA is a law that requires the state to establish a "network" of marine protected areas from Oregon to the Mexican border. The goals of the MLPA are to: "set aside" areas of the ocean to increase fish populations, enhance marine habitat, and to improve recreational and educational opportunities. Over the past year, Surfrider has been working with diverse groups of people including recreationalists, fishermen, environmentalists, and Chapter activists to ensure the law is effectively implemented.

To learn more about Surfrider's MLPA activities go here: or email Ssekich@surfrider.org

Environmental Groups Decry Legislative Attempt to Circumvent State

2009-09-02T13:11:00.000-07:00

AB 1570, Introduced as Veterans Affairs Bill, Now Seeks to Circumvent Coastal Commission Authority

A coalition of more than 70 local, state and national environmental and fishing groups has joined together to oppose proposed amendments to AB 1570, which seek to supersede the authority of the California Coastal Commission to protect the health of California's environment. AB 1570, originally drafted to improve social services for veterans, was amended this week to provide a special legislative extension to an existing coastal development permit (CDP) for Poseidon Resources' Carlsbad Desalination Project.

Though the bill's proposed language would apply only to Poseidon's proposed Carlsbad desalination plant, environmental groups are concerned about the precedent set by the Legislature taking away the review authority delegated to the Coastal Commission.

"Whenever you have the legislature providing special treatment to any one company, it raises a red flag for us," stated Joe Geever, California Policy Coordinator for Surfrider Foundation. "Writing law to circumvent regulatory agency review creates a slippery slope where any influential corporation can bypass longstanding environmental protections and public review."

Poseidon has indicated a need to pursue this "urgent legislation" as the company's coastal development permit was originally set to expire in November 2009, and could have become invalid if they have not begun construction at this time. However, Coastal Commission staff has indicated that Poseidon submitted an application for a permit extension in June, which has the effect of tolling the clock on the permit's expiration date. As a result of this extension application, Poseidon's permit will not expire any time soon.

"Not only will this legislation set bad precedent," added Geever, "but it is totally unnecessary to Poseidon's efforts to build their proposed plant in a way that is good for San Diego."

According to the County Water Authority, water consumption countywide plunged 21percent in June and 16 percent in July compared with the same months last year due to aggressive conservation measures. Meanwhile, the City of San Diego in partnership with local environmental groups is proceeding with a pilot project and regional assessment to determine the potential to reclaim wastewater for potable and non-potable uses.

To voice your opposition to AB 1570 click here.

Assembly Speaker Karen Bass Appoints Mark Stone and Ester Sanchez as Coastal Commissioners

2009-08-27T15:12:00.000-07:00

There will be two new faces on the California Coastal Commission: Santa Cruz County Supervisor Mark Stone and Oceanside City Councilmember Ester Sanchez. These appointments were largely lauded by the environmental community who monitors Coastal Commission activity and was allowed to meet with Speaker Bass to discuss the pending appointments during her decision process. Mark Stone was the number one choice in his region to fill the important Commission seat, and Surfrider Foundation is hopeful that Ester Sanchez will also make a wise and valuable addition to the Commission.

This article explains more about the Mark Stone appointment in replacement of repeat appointee Monterey representative Dave Potter.

This article speaks about the San Diego appointment of Ester Sanchez to replace Ben Hueso. This appointment was made over Donna Frye, who was backed by more than 40 environmental groups as the lead choice.

NO BUTTS: Cigarette Butt Litter, Fees and Campaigns

2009-06-03T11:53:00.000-07:00

This Sacramento Bee article highlights San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom's newly proposed 33-cents-a-pack fee on cigarettes to pay for the cost of cleaning up butt litter. He moved on the matter after the city's annual "litter audit" found that cigarette butts make up a quarter of littered items in the city. Litter abatement costs are deep strain on public resources, especially at a time when cities and the state are in a financial squeeze. The 33-cent fee was proposed to raise $11 million to offset the cost of picking up the discarded cigarette butts, a vast amount of which end up in the ocean and San Francisco Bay.

Cigarette filters are designed to trap toxic chemicals. When submerged in water, the toxic chemicals trapped in the filter leak out into aquatic ecosystems, threatening the quality of the water and aquatic life. Studies indicate the chemicals in cigarettes are leaching into our water ways and are deadly to water fleas (a small but important microorganism that lives in most lakes, streams and the ocean). An important component of Surfrider Foundation's Hold On To Your Butt campaign is to stop the litter problem before it starts by educating the community on the harms of cigarette butt litter. For more information on cigarette butt litter, click here.

Important Meetings

2009-05-27T15:14:00.000-07:00

The Surfrider Foundation is very busy these day...and we need your help at two meetings next week!

On Monday June 1st, the California State Lands Commission is considering significant items related off shore oil-drilling in Santa Barbara and our Raise Above Plastics campaign.
Come out and voice your support!

At the meeting, we need people to testify in support of the following agenda items:

Agenda Item 69. This is a resolution that would support legislation to reduce litter and marine debris by imposing a fee on single-use carryout bags. We all know about the damage plastics are causing in our oceans. Go here: http://www.riseaboveplastics.blogspot.com/ to learn more information that will help you with your testimony.

Agenda Item 70. In January, the State Lands Commission denied an oil-drilling project in Santa Barbra and we need to make sure that decision is not overruled! Item 70 is a resolution opposing the Governor's Budget Revision to override the State Lands Commission denial of the PXP oil-drilling project. Help ensure the decision to protect Santa Barbra coastline is upheld. Go here: http://www.nottheanswer.org to gather more information for talking points during your testimony.

MEETING DETAILS: CALIFORNIA STATE LANDS COMMISSION  
MEETING STARTS at 10:00am
City Of Santa Monica 
City Hall Council Chambers  Room 213, Second Floor 
1685 Main Street  Santa Monica, Ca 90401

We also need voices at the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) meeting on Thursday, June 4--in LA. The Blue Ribbon Taskforce is a panel of experts helping implement the MLPA by establishing a network of protected areas that will help restore our impaired ocean.

We need people to testify in support of marine protected areas! The State is on a timeline to implement the MLPA and it's critical that they hear from the public about how important marine protected areas are to you and you local community.

Go here to learn more about why marine protected areas are so important and what you can say at the MLPA at the meeting on June 4th. http://www.surfrider.org/policy_mpa.asp To learn more about MLPA go to: www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa

MEETING DETAILS--MLPA, JUNE 4th
Public comment starts at approximately 9:40am
Where: Sheraton Gateway Los Angeles Hotel
6101 West Century Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90045

Over the summer we will also be hosting MLPA trainings where you can learn more about Surfrider's efforts and get trained on how you can be part of the MLPA process. There are upcoming MLPA meetings this summer and fall where we need your help! To learn more about MLPA and how you can get involved, contact Stefanie at: SSekich@Surfrider.org

California Coastal Commission Voting Chart for 2008 Released: Insight to Upcoming Appointments

2009-05-15T09:12:00.000-07:00

Today marks the release of the 2008 California Coastal Commission Conservation Voting Chart, which measures the pro-conservation scores of the California Coastal Commission, the State’s most powerful land use agency, charged with the protecting our 1,100 mile coastline. The voting chart is produced by Sierra Club Coastal Programs, Surfrider Foundation, California Coastkeeper Alliance, Coastwalk California, Coastal Protection Network, and League for Coastal Protection, who teamed up to record, analyze and report on the most important coastal votes of 2008. The 31 votes in this year's chart involve significant coastal issues decided by the Commission during their twelve monthly meetings in 2008, including the denial of the proposed 241 toll road through San Onofre State Park, and approval of the largest desalination facility in North America. The voting chart is designed to illuminate individual Commissioners' voting records. In addition, the report illustrates the relative successes and failures of the appointments made by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Senate Rules Committee led by Don Perata, and then Speaker of the Assembly Fabián Nuñez. The scoring information in the 2008 chart also sheds light on upcoming Commission appointments in 2009, including seats currently held by Commissioners Ben Hueso and Dave Potter.

"This year's chart reports on several critical coastal issues in California. Whereas the Commission did a wonderful job of analyzing and eventually denying the proposed toll road that would have jeopardized the Trestles surf spot, it is disconcerting that the Commission's overall conservation score has decreased," remarks Surfrider Foundation's Angela Howe. "It marks a clear and worrisome trend of declining protection for our coast, with the Commission's overall conservation score at a mere 38% in 2008, down from 44% last year and 60% in 2005."

"In these hard economic times, it is especially important that the Coastal Commission be encouraged to do all it can to protect one of the State's most important assets, the California coast. We believe these voting records will help the public understand how well Commissioners are performing," says League for Coastal Protection's Mel Nutter.

"Once again our analysis underscores the relative failure of Governor Schwarzenegger and his appointments to live up to their rhetoric regarding coastal protection, and the failure of Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez when it comes to coastal protection in the public interest," said Mark Massara of Sierra Club's Coastal Programs. "If not for the Senate Rules Committee appointments, developers and lobbyists would dictate coastal development and loss of resources and beach access in California."

A copy of the CCC Voting Chart is available by clicking here.

Contact Your Senator to Protect State Parks

2009-04-24T16:07:00.000-07:00

Right now there are two critical bills going before the State Senate and we need you to contact your Senator and tell them to support SB 372 and SB 679. These bills have been introduced to establish much-needed processes and policies that protect our parks--so that ill conceived proposals (like toll roads through parks) will be impossible in the future. See below for a sample letter you can use when contacting your Senator.

Contact Your Senator:

Go here: http://192.234.213.69/smapsearch/framepage.asp

Enter your address and zip code to find your Senator. Then simply go to their website and click on the form that says "contact me" to send the email. You are welcome to use the sample email below.

Sample Letter:

Subject: Please support SB 372 and SB 679.

Dear Senator:

I am writing to urge your support for Senate Bill (SB) 372 (Kehoe) and SB 679 (Wolk). State parks were created to offer Californians recreational opportunities, protect natural resources, and showcase some of the most unique cultural and historic features of the Golden State. Voters repeatedly support improvements and additions to the state park system through approval of bonds and, in some cases, through gifts of land donations.

Unfortunately, however, state parks are increasingly looked at as the path of least resistance for placing infrastructure and other development projects. These proposals have significant impacts to sensitive natural, cultural and historic resources in the state park system. Instituting clear statutory protection to safeguard state parks is consistent with upholding the will of the California public and ensuring these resources remain part of the public trust.

SB 372 establishes an appropriate process for protecting state parks. It requires that alterations or modifications that are inconsistent with state parks be enacted only upon an act of the Legislature, preceded by a recommendation from the state Park and Recreation Commission. SB 679 will further protect California's state park system. The bill requires that lands specifically acquired for the purpose of a state park cannot be used for non-park purposes unless the Legislature takes an affirmative action to allow that non-park use and replacement lands of equivalent value are provided.

Together, these two bills create a thorough, transparent process where state-level decision makers have the final say in deciding whether to impact a state resource. As a strong supporter of our state parks and California's environment, I urge you to value the investments in our state park system and cast an AYE vote for SB 372 and SB 679.

Sincerely,

Name

Address

2009 Ocean Litter Legislation

2009-03-06T10:18:00.000-08:00

Based on the Ocean Protection Council's recently published strategy on reducing ocean litter and a concerted effort by the environmental community to highlight this problem, the California Legislature has put forth several bills geared at reducing marine debris in the current session. Specifically, Surfrider is advocating for Senate Bill 4 (Oropeza) which would reduce cigarette butt litter in state parks and beaches.

Other bills addressing marine debris include AB 68 plastic bag fee, AB 1358 addressing the prevalence of polystyrene and AB 283 proposing an Extended Producer Responsibility regime.

Check out this recent article on anti-litter legislation for more information. Also, keep up to date with Surfrider Action Alerts.

Hold Onto Your Butt--State Senate Bill Introduced

2009-03-04T13:54:00.000-08:00

California State Senator Oropeza recently introduced SB 4, a bill that would prohibit smoking on State Parks and beaches.

The Surfrider Foundation is leading the charge on supporting this legislation! We have set up an action alert that will go California legislators--asking them to pass this legislation. Go here to take action. http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/hotyb

We also have the following fact sheet about SB 4 and we encourage you to print up and distribute in your local communities.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Statewide Environmental Organizations Support SB 4
The No Smoking at State Parks and Beaches Act.
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The bill, introduced by State Senator Oropeza, would prohibit smoking on any state coastal beach or state park unit, except in adjacent parking lots.

While cigarette butts may seem small, they are a major problem at our local beaches, in the ocean, and throughout watersheds. Cigarette butts discarded onto sidewalks and streets eventually make their way into storm drains that lead directly to the ocean; causing harm to wildlife and water quality.

These toxic pieces of trash are increasingly littering our parks and beaches. Over 1.3 million cigarette butts were retrieved in one day at Coastal Cleanup Day in 2008. To make matters worse, improperly littered cigarette butts have caused wild fires in the state of California.

Environmental Costs of Cigarette Litter:

**Many smokers incorrectly believe that cigarette filters are made of biodegradable cotton. In fact, cigarette filters contain a type of plastic (cellulose acetate), which slowly breaks down, but unfortunately never fully decomposes.

**Cigarette filters are designed to trap toxic chemicals. When submerged in water, the toxic chemicals trapped in the filter leak out into aquatic ecosystems, threatening the quality of the water and aquatic life. Studies indicate the chemicals in cigarettes are leaching into our water ways and are deadly to water fleas (a small but important microorganism that lives in most lakes, streams and the ocean).

**Wildlife can mistake cigarette butts as food which may interfere with their ability to properly eat and digest food.

**According to the California Department of Forestry (over a five-year average), smoking has been found to annually cause more than 100 California forest fires and more than 3,400 acres of damage.

**Smoking has caused four of the 25 worst wildfires in California, from 1929-1999, including the 1999 Jones wildfire, which destroyed 964 structures and the 1999 Oakland Hills fire, the largest dollar fire loss in United States history. The $1.5 billion blaze destroyed 3,354 homes, 456 apartment buildings and 2,000 vehicles.

Numerous local governments have already imposed bans on smoking, including bans in local parks, beaches and piers in Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Malibu, Newport Beach, Redondo Beach, San Clemente, Santa Monica, Seal Beach, San Diego, and Solana Beach. Help Keep our Beaches and Parks Clean!

SB 42 Helps to End Destructive Once-Through Cooling (OTC) Methods

2009-02-03T17:24:00.000-08:00

Nineteen coastal power plants located in California use obsolete once-through cooling water intake systems. These coastal power plants can collectively withdraw up to 16.3 billion gallons of water per day. Outdated once-through cooling technology is also being proposed for various desalination plants up and down the California coast.

The withdrawal of seawater kills billions of aquatic organisms including fish, fish larvae and eggs, crustaceans, shellfish, sea turtles, sea lions and seals annually. Senate Bill 42 will set up a process for ending the practice of once through cooling technology at all industrial facilities by 2015 and will help restore the damage done to marine life.

To see the legislative language, click here.

For more information on seawater intake methods for desalination, see Coastal A-Z.

In Toll Road News...

2009-01-27T12:36:00.000-08:00

Surfrider attended the recent TCA board meeting to learn toll road developers have decided not to currently pursue litigation against the Federal government for the Secretary of Commerce decision. TCA Board of Directors indicated they will reach out to "stakeholders" to work on finding traffic solutions. This is very interesting news....check out their press release.

http://www.thetollroads.com/home/news_press_jan_09.htm

Surfrider and our coalition partners will continue to monitor efforts by the TCA and we will keep you informed as we go along.

In the meantime, help us celebrate! Go to http://www.savetrestles.org/ to learn more about our Feb 6th party.

Joint Ocean Commission Initiative West Coast Report

2009-01-15T13:43:00.000-08:00

A national report was released today to West Coast local and state elected officials with specific recommendations to better protect our oceans and coasts.

One Coast, One Future: Securing the Health of West Coast Ecosystems and Economies

Released by the Joint Ocean Commission Initiative (JOCI), a national bipartisan voice for ocean policy reform, the Report 'One Coast, One Future' identifies priority actions for elected officials to promote the health of coastal and ocean ecosystems, which our West Coast communities depend on.

The reports recommendations address a number of priorities of Surfrider Foundation including: water quality; shoreline preservation; marine debris; nearshore science; stakeholder/ community participation; and ecosystem-based management.

Requested by 19 elected officials from California, Oregon and Washington State, the report provides a fantastic opportunity to engage key decision-makers in ocean and coastal stewardship.

Please think about the local & state elected officials that you know that would be interested in this report, and then share with them through any means possible! For more info on the initiative how to get involved with outreach to your community leaders please contact Stefanie Sekich: ssekich@surfrider.org

Statewide Plastic Bag Fee - Part Deux

2009-01-07T09:09:00.000-08:00

California State Assembly Member Julia Brownley recently introduced AB 68 in an effort to regulate the rampant consumption and littering of single-use plastic bags. This first version of the bill proposes a 25 cent fee on plastic bags to be imposed on a statewide level in large grocery stores and convenience stores by 2010. The fee is intended to encourage shoppers to use reusable shopping bags. Revenue generated from the fee will be dedicated to litter prevention and abatement efforts that will eventually save the state and municipalities millions of dollars in clean up costs.

This bill is very similar to AB 2058 (Levine) which was introduced to the California legislature last year, which made it out of the Assembly and almost out of the Senate. With even more support from local municipalities and the environmental community, along with the backing of the California Ocean Protection Council through their legislative recommendation, this year's AB 68 is expected to move swiftly to the Governor's desk for approval this year.

For more information, see http://info.sen.ca.gov/pub/09-10/bill/asm/ab_0051-0100/ab_68_bill_20081212_introduced.html

Help The Surfrider Foundation Get a Better Understanding of YOUR Community and Surrounding Marine Areas.

2008-12-23T14:39:00.000-08:00

The Surfrider Foundation is currently working with a wide variety of individuals and organizations on the Marine Life Protection Act --or MLPA. The MLPA is a state law that requires establishing a "network" of marine protected areas along the California coastline. This law is currently being implemented in Southern California.

Much like our National Parks protect special places on land, these Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) offer heightened protection for marine life to thrive and people to enjoy. In short, MPAs protect special places for their "intrinsic value"--preserving ecological abundance for generations to come. MPAs around the globe have become popular attractions for people to enjoy nature's beauty and abundance.

Establishing MPAs can also help restore healthy fisheries. Studies show alarming declines in fish populations worldwide. Fishermen are now catching half of what they did in 1990 and the fish they do catch are 45 percent smaller. Some local fisheries may take 50-80 years to recover. MPAs allow marine life populations to increase and individual species to grow to full maturity--which increases the number of off-spring from protected areas. These larger populations may "spill over" the boundaries of MPAs and provide improved fishing in areas adjacent to MPAs.

The state of California adopted the MLPA in 1999 and created the opportunity for members of the public to participate in identifying special places worthy of heightened protection. Surfrider Foundation members represent a broad spectrum of people who enjoy time in the ocean surfers, fishers, divers, kayakers, sailors and others who just love the natural beauty of our coast and ocean. Our collective knowledge from this experience can help design an effective network of MPAs.

The Surfrider Foundation is gathering information and recommendations from local communities to help formulate a regional network of MPAs. Our goal is to balance our members' commitment to restoring and protecting our coast and ocean for generations, with our support of sustainable and accessible fishing opportunities.

Help establish successful Marine Protected Areas by completing this survey (all responses are anonymous). To learn more about MLPA go to: www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa and http://www.caloceans.org/

GO HERE TO TAKE THE SURVEY:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=jweijd4I8d5vtscSSwjSHw_3d_3d

Hold Onto Your Butt--State Senate Bill Introduced

2008-12-12T12:10:00.001-08:00

On Dec 1, 2008 State Senator Oropeza introduced SB 4, a bill that would prohibit smoking on any state coastal beach or state park unit, except in adjacent parking lots. This bill would also authorize the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR), or another state agency, to develop and post signs to provide notice of the smoking prohibition.

The San Diego Chapter of Surfrider complemented the introduction of the bill by holding a press conference to showcase the stainless steal ashcans they purchased for several State Parks in San Diego County.

Read more: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/northcounty/20081202-9999-1m2smoke.html

California Ocean Protection Council Proposes Ban on Polystyrene Food Containers, Fees for Plastic Bag Use

2008-11-26T12:18:00.001-08:00

Surfrider Foundation submitted testimony at the October 20, 2008 meeting of the Ocean Protection Council ("OPC") in support of the Council's Implementation Strategy to Reduce Ocean Litter. In addition to supporting the OPC's recommendations of extended producer responsibility, plastic bag and polystyrene regulation, and fees on commonly littered items such as cigarette butts, Surfrider called for a more detailed timeline for implementation.

Specifically, the California OPC proposed banning polystyrene take-out containers and plastic bag use fees as part of a strategy to reduce ocean litter. Following the OPC's historic resolution last year to eliminate marine debris, the strategy includes public comments gathered during the last three months and calls for plastic manufacturers to recover and dispose of their products and for product user fees to be assessed. To read more, click here: http://www.resources.ca.gov/copc/

Governor Vetoes Marine Debris Bill

2008-10-10T11:24:00.000-07:00

After cutting the budget for water quality testing, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger also managed to veto the few environmental bills that passed through the legislature, including an important, low-cost marine debris bill. Despite the environmental community's successful efforts to gain support from the commercial fishing community and bipartisan support in the Legislature, Gov. Schwarzenegger vetoed the bill addressing derelict fishing gear, SB 899 (Simitian). His veto message stated cost concerns with Dept of Fish & Game, even though the bill had a negligible cost and the Ocean Protection Council would have worked with UC Davis to pick up the bulk of reporting and data management responsibilities. Schwarzenegger also nixed a new fee on cargo ships at the port of Long Beach (also a top environmental effort).

CA Beaches Lose Funding for Water Quality

2008-10-02T13:03:00.000-07:00

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has used his line-item veto power to cut all funding (approximately $1 million per year) for beach water quality monitoring throughout the state. The funding is for California’s AB 411 monitoring program, in existence since 1999 and a model for many other state programs and the federal BEACH (Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health) Act. Surfrider Foundation activists were instrumental in advocating for both the state and federal pieces of legislation. The funding for monitoring had allowed state officials to identify beaches where high levels of bacteria from unknown sources pose a risk to public health and then communicate the information with the public. Now public health and the environmental health of our beaches are left at risk.

Click Here to Read More

Click Here to Take Action

Coastal Commission Decision on Poseidon-Carlsbad Desal

2008-08-14T13:56:00.000-07:00

The Coastal Commission recently voted to approve two important "conditions" that will be required for the ocean desalination facility proposed by Poseidon Resources to be built in Carlsbad California. The Commission got it wrong.

Two very important potential environmental impacts from ocean desalination are the destruction of marine life in the seawater intake and the additional greenhouse gases created by this highly energy intensive process. The two conditions on the permit were SUPPOSED to address these issues -- but didn't do it adequately.

Surfrider Foundation is not strictly opposed to ocean desalination. However, we know that other alternatives to managing our fresh water supplies are far superior when you consider all the environmental costs and benefits. For example, purifying wastewater from our coastal sewage treatment plants can provide a safe and reliable source of fresh water and eliminate ocean discharges. Our new Ocean Friendly Gardens program is something every homeowner and local government can do to eliminate our current waste of fresh water and dramatically reduce polluted runoff. Watershed restoration, "treatment wetlands", "green streets" programs, low impact development standards, and many more options will conserve water while reducing pollution and restoring coastal habitat. These multi-benefit alternatives should be fully implemented before we consider the need for ocean desalination. San Diego County could have greatly expanded these efforts first -- but they didn’t.

If, after all these preferable alternatives are implemented, the area still needs a desalination plant to fill a niche in their water supply portfolios, there are right ways and wrong ways to do it.

First, Surfrider Foundation has actively supported the development of "sub-seafloor" intakes as an alternative to open ocean intakes like the one proposed by Poseidon Resources. These sub-seafloor intakes eliminate the marine life mortality that cannot be avoided by open ocean intakes and reduce energy demand because this “source water” is already partially pre-filtered. Poseidon didn't use sub-seafloor intakes and the Coastal Commission didn’t compel it like they should have. Instead, the condition on the permit requires woefully inadequate "mitigation" to try and restore the fish that Poseidon could have avoided killing in the first place.

We are also concerned that the extra energy demand from ocean desalination, and the associated global warming impacts, be minimized and fully mitigated. Again, Poseidon built a much larger facility than would have been necessary if the water agencies had prioritized the preferable alternatives listed above. To make matters even worse, the Coastal Commission did not require full mitigation for the greenhouse gas emissions caused by this facility. Instead they allowed every loophole Poseidon requested.

In short, the Coastal Commission completely ignored the recommendations of many environmental organizations, respected scientists, and concerned local citizens. We couldn't have been more disappointed in the Coastal Commission's obvious politically-motivated decision. But, we will continue to make our case before the California State Lands Commission and the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board – two more agencies that need to sign-off on this ill-conceived desalination proposal.

by Joe Geever

Plastics Legislation Updates

2008-08-11T16:24:00.000-07:00

Statewide environmental bills have faced a tough time getting any traction in Sacramento due to the huge state deficit. Congressmen are reluctant to pass anything with an appropriations component. Thus, AB 2058 (aimed at encouraging the use of reusable shopping bags) wanes in Senate Appropriations. Read more about it here: http://www.modbee.com/opinion/letters/story/383905.html and here:
http://malibusurfsidenews.com/stories/200808/20080807009.html

Here is the latest on SB 1625 (aimed at increasing plastic bottle recycling): http://www.sacbee.com/111/story/1127589.html

AB 2058 put in Senate Appropriations Suspense File

2008-08-06T08:50:00.000-07:00

AB 2058, a bill that would prohibit a store from providing plastic carryout bags to customers unless the store (1) demonstrates an increased diversion rate of 70 percent in the total number of plastic carryout or (2) charges the customer at least 25 cents per plastic bag, was placed on suspense in the Senate Appropriations committee on Monday, August 4th. Meanwhile, the American Chemistry Council, who represents the plastics industry, and bag manufacturers are funding a campaign in opposition to AB 2058. They have pruchased radio spots on stations throughout California. Now is the time to ask your Senator to take this bill out of the suspense file and vote on this important anti-plastic debris legislation: http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/ab2058final

AB 2058 would specify that revenues from the plastic bag fee would be used by the store for plastic carryout bag recycling, cleanup, and waste reduction programs, and 3 percent of the monies would be deposited into the Integrated Waste Management Account for use by the Integrated Waste Management Board (IWMB) for the administration and enforcement of the provisions of this law.

For more information on the bill, click here.

OPC rises above plastics

2008-07-28T07:50:00.000-07:00

In a report to be release next week, the Ocean Protection Council advocates banning plastic foam cups and plastic bags, items that often end up in coastal waters and on beaches.

Read the LA Times Story....

L.A. City Council votes for potential ban on plastic shopping bags

2008-07-23T13:43:00.000-07:00

The council plans to ban plastic carryout bags in the city's stores by 2010, unless the state imposes a 25-cent fee on those who request them.
By David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer July 23, 2008
Click here for LA Times article.

See the South Bay Chapter's website for more info: http://www.surfrider-southbay.org/

Surfrider Foundation CA Policy Network

2008-07-08T12:38:00.000-07:00

This is a test entry for the new blog that will be part of the CA Policy Network Web Page.