Friday, September 23, 2011
Charles Lester Steps into Coastal Commission Executive Director Role
The California Coastal Commission appointed Charles Lester as the new Executive Director of the agency, following the recent retirement of long time Coastal Commission leader Peter Douglas. Lester was the Acting Deputy Director of the Central Coast District under Douglas and stepped in to fill the role of interim Executive Director. Peter Douglas recommended Charles Lester as his successor when he announced his retirement. On September 8, 2011, the interim appointment was made permanent.
Lester has been working for the California Coastal Commission for the past 14 years. He has also served as District Manager of the Central Coast, which includes the coastal zones of Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Luis Obispo Counties as well as the incorporated coastal cities in these counties.
Charles Lester's background and expertise in coastal policy makes him a very good fit for the appointment. He received his Bachelor's degree in geochemistry from Columbia College in New York City. He attended the University of California Berkeley for law school and a Ph.D. in Jurisprudence and Social Policy in 1992. His doctoral dissertation evaluated the implementation of the Federal Offshore Oil and Gas Program. Prior to taking his current position with the California Coastal Commission, he was a professor of environmental policy and law at the University of Colorado at Boulder.
Lester made a statement regarding his new role: “I am deeply committed to implementing the Coastal Act, but I am also a problem-solver, and I look forward to bringing people together around environmentally sustainable solutions that protect coastal resources and provide maximum public access to the coast for all Californians.”
Labels: CCC
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Environmental Groups Decry Legislative Attempt to Circumvent State
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.
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.
Labels: AB 1570, CCC, Desal Poseidon Carlsbad
Friday, May 15, 2009
California Coastal Commission Voting Chart for 2008 Released: Insight to Upcoming Appointments
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.
"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.
Labels: CCC, Coasta Commissioner, Governor, Voting Chart
