State of the Beach/State Reports/CA
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California
Summary
California's beach health indicators are a study in contrasts. California has one of the most comprehensive beach water quality testing programs of all the coastal states, but also has by far the most beach closures and advisories of all the states. Beach access information is plentiful and access is generally good, except for some disputed areas in communities like Malibu and Santa Barbara. Erosion is a problem in many areas throughout the state, prompting many private coastal property owners and municipalities to install seawalls and other hard structures to protect their investments, often at the expense of the beach. Finding alternatives to shoreline structures is essential to preserve the remaining coastal resources. California recognizes waves as valuable recreational, economic and cultural resources.
California Ratings
Indicator Type | Information | Status |
---|---|---|
Beach Access | 9 | 8 |
Water Quality | 8 | 5 |
Beach Erosion | 6 | - |
Erosion Response | - | 6 |
Beach Fill | 7 | - |
Shoreline Structures | 5 | 2 |
Beach Ecology | 5 | - |
Surfing Areas | 10 | 5 |
Website | 6 | - |
Coastal Development | {{{19}}} | {{{20}}} |
Sea Level Rise | {{{21}}} | {{{22}}} |
Indicators
(+) In March 2011 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency named Hermosa Beach's Strand Infiltration Project as the winner of the 2010 Performance and Innovation in the State Revolving Fund Creating Environmental Success (PISCES) Award. Previously, the project received an award from the American Public Works Association.
(+) In July 2010 it was reported that state and federal scientists were embarking on a new project to construct the most detailed map of the California coast ever assembled. The $3.3 million effort ($2.75 million funding came from California's Ocean Protection Council) will begin with researchers in an airplane flying back and forth along the coast shooting thousands of laser pulses (Light Detection and Ranging or "LIDAR") per second at the rocks, beaches and cliffs along the 1,200-mile shoreline from Mexico to Oregon, generating ultra-detailed 3-D images of the contours of the land in huge computer files. The mapping work, supervised by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, will start in August 2010 and is expected to conclude by December 2010, with the images posted to the Internet by summer 2011. Also see California Coastal LiDAR Project Report.
(+) A long-running issue regarding the use of septic tanks near Surfrider Beach and Malibu Creek in Malibu was resolved in November 2009 when the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board ordered a phase-out of septic systems in portions of the city. This was decision was affirmed by the State Water Resources Control Board in November 2010.
(+) In July 2009 the State Water Board awarded $42.55 million for 15 projects to protect public health and the environment. The projects included trash nets and vortex separation devices for the city of Long Beach to keep debris out of the Los Angeles River; a dry weather diversion project for the city of Santa Cruz to protect the San Lorenzo River and beach water quality; and to the City of Los Angeles to collect, treat, and reuse urban runoff from the Sawtelle Channel.
(+) In November 2006 California voters passed Proposition 84, which brings $90 million to the Clean Beaches Program for the purpose of providing matching grants for protecting beaches and coastal waters from pollution and toxic contamination.
(+) Starting with the February 2007 meeting, California Coastal Commission meetings are now being broadcast live via the internet or through the Coastal Commission website. This technology significantly increases public access to the Commission's actions and the issues it deals with. The public also now has the ability to review the broadcasts of previous meetings at the cal-span.org website.
(+) California’s coastline north of San Francisco has very little to no shoreline structures.
(+) 70% of Californians say the condition of the coast is important to them personally, 60% of state residents believe the federal government is not doing enough to protect the coast, and 71% of Californians favor establishing more marine reserves along the coast.
(+) The previously closed public beach access path next to a famous music producer's Malibu mansion is now open to the public. Offers to Dedicate (OTD) public access easements are one method used to mitigate permitted projects that negatively impact public access along California’s shoreline.
(+) Since 1976, the California State Coastal Conservancy has spent over $200 million to support projects that purchase, protect, restore, and enhance coastal resources.
(+) During 2002, the California Coastal Commission Statewide Coastal Access Program assisted in the acceptance of 136 Offers to Dedicate (OTD), providing additional horizontal (along the coast) and vertical (to the coast) access points.
(+) California recognizes waves as a valuable recreational, economic, and cultural resource.
(+) Voters in Los Angeles County passed a $500 million bond measure in November 2004 to address the problem of non-point source pollution. The money will be used to build filtration plants, install cisterns to recycle storm water, install a system to divert stormwater into groundwater supplies, and install screens and other mechanisms to remove trash from rivers and lakes.
(+) Governor Schwarzenegger unveiled an ocean protection plan that includes establishing a California Ocean Protection Council that will guide ocean policy and coastal protection.
(0) About 80% of California's 33 million residents live within 50 kilometers of the Pacific Ocean.
(0) Approximately 950 miles (86%) of California's coastline is actively eroding.
(0) California has the largest Ocean Economy in the United States, ranking number one overall for both employment and gross state product.
(-) Twenty-six sewage spills leaked more than 8 million gallons into San Diego County waterways from Dec. 21 through Dec. 28, 2010, according to numbers released by the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board. The spills were linked to the late-December storms that deluged the region, causing mudslides, traffic accidents and sewage-system upsets. Oceanside had the biggest problem — 5.5 million gallons of wastewater that fouled Buena Vista Creek, Buena Vista Lagoon and the nearby ocean. Similar-sized spills in the same area occurred in April 2007 and in 1994.
(-) In late September 2008 Governor Schwarzenegger effectively terminated California's landmark AB 411 beach water quality monitoring program by using his line-item veto power to cut all state funding for the program. Update - although temporary funding for one or perhaps two years of monitoring (at 90 percent of previous levels) was secured in November 2008 from State Water Resources Control Board bond funds, some counties were still not monitoring as of late 2008, and monitoring for the 2009 "AB 411" season (and beyond) was reduced in many locations. This situation illustrates a "fatal flaw" in AB 411 which is this clause:
- "Any duty imposed upon a local public officer or agency pursuant to this section shall be mandatory only during a fiscal year in which the Legislature has appropriated sufficient funds, as determined by the State Director of Health Services, in the annual Budget Act or otherwise for local agencies to cover the costs to those agencies associated with the performance of these duties."
(-) Since 1980, while inflation has increased 160 percent, the California Coastal Commission's total funding has risen only 9 percent--from $13.5 million to $16.3 million--and at times been cut nearly in half. The commission's full-time staff has been slashed from 200 in 1980 to 138 in early 2008. Since that time, the Commission lost an additional 8.5 positions in the 2008-09 budget. The administration is eliminating 6 more positions in mid-year cuts. NOAA's 2010 review of California's Coastal Management Program identifies staff and budget limitations as a severe continuing problem in carrying out an effective program to protect the state's coastal resources.
(-) The percentage of Ventura County’s coastline that is armored jumped from approximately 27% in 1971 to 45% in 1998. Orange County’s coastal armoring percentages increased from less than 10% in 1971 to 29% in 1998.
(-) Many beaches along California’s coast are shrinking. One contributing factor is dams and shoreline structures that are blocking sand from reaching the coastline. See here and here.
(-) The extent of shoreline armoring increased from about 26 miles to 110 miles between 1971 and 1992. Two strong El Niño winters have occurred since 1990, undoubtedly adding to this total.
(-) A study by University of California, Irvine Department of Environmental Health, Science and Policy estimates 74,000 people go to the doctor for stomach illness, respiratory disease and eye, ear and skin infections caused by exposure to the polluted waters south of LA in a typical year. This is estimated to cost approximately $3.3 million per year.
(-) 4,736 beach days were affected by closures or advisories during 2007. Water testing has detected human adenoviruses, fecal coliform, and other disease-causing bacteria, pesticides, herbicides, and heavy metals.
(-) Every day, 43 coastal wastewater treatment plants in California discharge approximately 1.35 billion gallons of treated effluent containing about 270,000 pounds of suspended solids to the ocean. These facilities reclaim or divert for reclamation only approximately 312 million gallons per day (23 percent of the ocean discharge) for beneficial reuse.
Victories
- Marin County Bag Ban Surfrider Foundation Marin Chapter and other non profits teamed up to persuade Marin County to ban single use bags. "We started this with Surfrider Foundation Marin three years ago," said David McGuire, Rise Above Plastics Coordinator for Surfrider Marin and Director of the ocean non profit Sea Stewards. "There was a lot of initial support by the Supervisors, but AB 1998 delayed the local initiative. Following the defeat of the state bill, we regrouped with other non profits, including Green Sangha and pushed the initiative forward. There was some resistance from the industry and a call for an Environmental Review and other CEQA entanglements but the Supervisors stood strong. Over a million bags find there way into the Bay annually. We clean up thousands of pounds of plastic each year outside the Golden Gate. Initiatives like this will limit plastic pollution and help conserve our sensitive marine ecosystems and marine life."
- Santa Monica Bag Ban In a unanimous decision, Santa Monica City Council voted to pass a single-use plastic bag ban ordinance on January 25, 2011. The decision took nearly four years to pass completely, since the city was plagued by ongoing threats of litigation by the plastics industry. Enforcement of the ordinance begins September 1, 2011. It would prohibit all retail establishments from providing single-use plastic bags, but allows for paper bags to be sold for approximately a dime. Exempt from the plastic bag ban are restaurants and food trucks.
- Styrofoam Ban in San Clemente San Clemente City Council members unanimously approved an ordinance prohibiting the use of EPS (expanded polystyrene) in food service ware at food service establishments within the City. This action was supported by Surfrider's South Orange County Chapter and the San Clemente High School Surfrider Club.
- Southern California Establishes Marine Protected Areas After several years of hard work and negotiations, the CA Fish and Game Commission approved a network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in Southern California. Establishing MPAs along the coast is part of a larger process required by the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) of 1999. Surfrider Foundation worked tirelessly with diverse constituencies to help provide balanced input during the MLPA process. More info.
- Los Angeles County Bag Ban Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted 3-1 (with one absent) 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! More info.
- World Surfing Reserve at Malibu's Surfrider Beach This designation of Malibu is the first in a series of World Surfing Reserves planned for the iconic surfing coastlines of Australia, Hawaii and numerous other areas worldwide. World Surfing Reserves are nominated through a selection process and currently there are dozens of proposed WSRs covering nearly every continent on the planet. The WSR program, inspired by UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites, helps the surfing community to identify and preserve surfing heritage through their important surf breaks. More info.
- Clean Water At The 'Bu - Malibu Septic Prohibition On Tuesday, September 21, the California State Water Board voted unanimously (5/0) to support the Regional Water Board’s prohibition of septic systems in the Malibu Civic Center area. Commercial facilities must be off septics by 2015 and residential sites must be off by 2019. Septic systems in Malibu have long contributed to the chronic pollution problems at Malibu Creek, Lagoon, and 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. This victory will also reduce the task of management and enforcement of on-site wastewater treatment systems (OWTS) that are faulty or not to code, a responsibility that the City of Malibu has repeatedly failed to accomplish. Millions of people visit Surfrider Beach each year. Removing septic systems in the lower Malibu Creek Watershed will significantly reduce the health risk for all who surf/swim along this stretch of coastline.
- Water Board Acts to Protect Coast and Delta from Devastating Power Plant Cooling Systems The State Water Resources Control Board adopted a final state Policy that will put California on a path to compliance with the Clean Water Act’s requirements for power plant cooling systems. Nineteen California coastal and Delta power plants use World-War II-era, “once-through cooling” (OTC) systems that pull in up to 16 billion gallons of coastal and Delta waters every year, killing marine life pulled into the plants and destroying many species caught on the plants’ screens. The Board’s new Policy will require power plants to phase out the impacts of this devastating practice. Surfrider Foundation partnered with the CA Coastkeeper Alliance on earlier lawsuits as well as a statewide advocacy campaign to urge the Water Board to make the right decision.
- Seawall proposed for Malibu’s Surfrider Beach is officially dead! The West LA/Malibu Chapter got the County of Los Angeles to reverse its plans to install a seawall at Surfrider Beach in Malibu. The seawall was planned to protect a new septic system for the beach restrooms from worst-case storm surges. The top of the seawall would have been 3 feet beneath the sand normally, but had the potential to become exposed during high winds or high surf. In addition, it could come into contact with waves and harm their shape during high surf or future rising sea levels. After much advocacy from the Chapter and partners at the Malibu Surfing Association, Santa Monica Baykeeper, and Heal The Bay, the County found a creative way to reconfigure the septic system so that it is located far enough inland to be out of the storm surge zone and not require a seawall.
- Defeat of Pro-Oil Drilling Legislation in California Assembly Bill 2719, which would have opened the California coastline to more drilling in state waters, was defeated in committee after staunch opposition from the environmental community. Surfrider Foundation, along with our partners at Environment California, embarked on a Not the Answer "road show" of 5 California towns to educate local Chapters and communities about the dangers of offshore drilling and the importance of defeating this bill. The victory was due to the efforts of all California Chapters and is a stepping stone towards positive legislation that we hope to establish to protect our coasts from more drilling. More info.
- Goleta Beach Saved - Groin Defeated On July 8, 2009 the California Coastal Commission overturned its staff's recommendation and denied Santa Barbara County's proposed groin project at Goleta Beach. The groin project would have trapped sand at Goleta Beach but in doing so would have prevented sand from reaching beaches to the east of Goleta causing erosion and damage to beach habitats. The Santa Barbara County Chapter worked closely with the Environmental Defense Center and several members of Surfrider's Environmental Issues Team to provide technical reports and comments at and leading up to the Coastal Commission hearing. More info.
- Judge Invalidates Water District Annexation of Gaviota Coast Lots A lawsuit filed by the Gaviota Coast Conservancy and Surfrider Foundation resulted today in a decision invalidating a 2008 action by the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) annexing prime Gaviota Coast parcels into the Goleta Water District. Without water service, development of the lots is more challenging. “This is a second significant ruling in two weeks for the Gaviota Coast” explained Gaviota Coast Conservancy President Mike Lunsford. “The laws and policies protecting the Gaviota Coast, mean very little if they are not followed by local decision makers. This decision restores reason and fair play in the permitting process, and puts Orange County developers on notice that this community will not stand by and allow them to play fast and loose with the Gaviota Coast.” More info.
- Watsonville Bans Styrofoam Food Containers - Last in County, SANTA CRUZ COUNTY NOW STYRO-FREE The Santa Cruz Chapter is excited to announce that all jurisdictions in Santa Cruz County now have polystyrene food container take-out bans in place, banning the use of foam take-out containers in businesses selling food for immediate consumption, such as restaurants, ice-cream parlors and coffee shops. With the recent addition of Watsonville and Scotts Valley to the list, joining the City of Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz County and City of Capitola, Santa Cruz County is now the first and only multiple-jurisdiction county in California to have a styro-ban in all jurisdictions within the county limits. The Santa Cruz Chapter has engaged in this campaign for several years, so we see it as a strong win!
- Polystyrene Banned in Monterey The City of Monterey follows Carmel and Pacific Grove in Monterey County in passing this important ordinance to help alleviate the amount of marine debris entering our coastal waters. With Monterey subjected to vociferous opposition from the American Chemistry Council, the City Staff was compelled to write a Negative Declaration addressing the California Environmental Quality Act. This was a long but critical process in assuring that the ordinance was indeed environmentally sound and the best choice for the city and the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Throughout the process the Monterey Chapter was instrumental in garnering community and business support, addressing the myriad issues which City Staff had questions about, and amassing a strong coalition of 18 community and environmental organizations to support the ordinance. City residents were resoundingly in favor of the switch to recyclable and compostable alternatives, and the city council's vote was unanimous.
- Massive Playa Vista Development Stopped Surfrider Foundation’s South Bay Chapter, and their partners Ballona Wetlands Land Trust and the City of Santa Monica signed a settlement agreement that sends the controversial Phase 2 of the development back to the drawing board. The settlement terms establish that the Environmental Impact Report inadequately informed the public of the foreseeable harm to the local environment from the project. Consequently the City Council’s decision to grant development permits and entitlements have been reversed. This decision opens an opportunity for public acquisition of the property to fulfill the long held dream of restoring this relatively small, but critically important part of Southern California’s network of coastal wetlands. The Chapter has advocated using the space for “treatment wetlands” since the project’s inception.
- Toll Road Stopped at San Onofre State Beach/Trestles The U.S. Commerce Department upheld the CA Coastal Commission's decision to deny a permit for the Toll Road proposed to be built through San Onofre State Beach near Trestles. This 6-lane highway would have impacted a large portion of this State Park and the adjacent Land Conservancy, along with a multitude of natural, recreational and cultural resources. More info.
- Styrofoam Banned in Scotts Valley In a unanimous vote by Scotts Valley City Council on December 17, 2008, Scotts Valley joined Santa Cruz, Capitola, and Santa Cruz County in adopting a local ordinance to prohibit the use of polystyrene (Styrofoam) food take-out containers in all city businesses which offer take-out food or which allow customers to package and leave with uneaten portions of their meal. The new ordinance goes into effect six months from the date of the vote. The Santa Cruz Chapter was very active in encouraging Scotts Valley City Council to take this action, and we are pleased to see more and more local businesses eliminating polystyrene food containers from their stock. We believe this ordinance will not only help protect our many sea creatures which mistake small pieces of polystyrene for their natural food, but will also help convince other nearby jurisdictions to enact and enforce similar ordinances. The Chapter worked with twelve partner organizations in the "Wipe Out Plastic Takeout!" Coalition. Their long-range goal is a polystyrene-take-out-container-free county!
- Increased Protection for the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary After 7 years of planning and extensive public input, three marine sanctuaries off Central California issued a new joint management plan. The plan includes a 775 square mile expansion to include the Davidson Seamount, one of the largest known underwater mountains in U.S. coastal waters and home to a wide variety of marine species, prohibition of harmful discharges from cruise ships, restoration of the original limitation of motorized personal watercraft (MPWC) to four areas off the harbors, inclusion of a wintertime zone for tow-in surfing at “Maverick’s”, and efforts to reduce the introduction of non-native species. Through the Joint Management Plan Review process, the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary considered revisions and additions to its management plans, which created an opportunity to revisit the management of MPWC in the Sanctuary. The chapters along the Central California Coast participated in this process in hopes of affecting change to MPWC regulations.
- CA Beach Monitoring Funding Restored Surfrider’s Global Headquarters and several California Chapters, including San Diego, Monterey, Sonoma and Mendocino Counties were instrumental in re-establishing funding for California’s beach water quality monitoring program. The finds were abruptly cut by Governor Schwarzenegger in September 2008, completely terminating beach monitoring in some counties and severely restricting monitoring elsewhere. In response, Surfrider launched an Action Alert that over 2400 activists responded to that sent emails to the Governor and state legislators to restore funding. Our San Diego County chapter initiated a separate action alert to urge their members to contact county supervisors to secure a new source of funding. Other environmental groups including Heal the Bay and the California Coastkeeper Alliance also lobbied to get funding restored. Surfrider participated in conference calls with these groups and state and county public health officials to strategize on ways to resolve the funding issue. On November 4, 2008 the State Water Resources Control Board approved using Beach Grant funds from Prop 13 to backfill the beach funding for the fiscal year July 2008 through June 2009. There is also an option to extend this funding source for the 2009-2010 Fiscal Year. Surfrider will continue to work on this issue to identify a long term sustainable funding source to continue to fund this program for the future. More info. History repeated itself in November 2010 when the State Water Board again voted to use State bond act funding to allow continuation of beach monitoring in 2011. There is still a pressing need to identify a sustainable funding source for this program.
- Smoking Banned on All Beaches in Santa Monica Bay The City of Redondo Beach passed a ban on smoking at city beaches and parks. This is the final city in all of Santa Monica Bay to do this. This ban eliminates smoking on the beaches thus improving the health and recreational experience of all beachgoers, reduces cigarette butt litter, reduces potentially harmful effects of cigarette butts being mistaken as food by birds and marine life, reduces the risk of burn from unextinguished cigarette butts in the sand, reduces the choking hazard of butts by children playing on the beach, and improves local water quality from cigarette butts leaching toxins into the sand and water zone. The South Bay Chapter is part of the South Bay Coalition for Smoke-Free Beaches which includes American Heart Association, American Lung Association, American Cancer Society, Beach Cities Health District and Girls Club of LA. More info.
- Encinitas Plastic Bag Ban Ordinance After several months of collaborative work between Surfrider Foundation San Diego Chapter activists and the City of Encinitas, the City Council voted to ban plastic bags and put a fee on paper bags in an effort to reduce single-use plastic consumption by its residents. As the first city in San Diego County to pass a bag ban, this put the City of Encinitas at the forefront of the fight against plastic marine debris. As part of the ban ordinance, there was a specific directive that there be significant education and that it be phased in slowly to work with both residents and the business community – developing a reasonable plan and time frame. San Diego Chapter RAP volunteers collected close to 2,000 signatures from residents in support of a ban and presented them to the five City Council members. This victory was part of the Chapter's Rise Above Plastics campaign efforts to educate the public and encourage reusable bags and water bottles. More info.
- Plastic Bags Banned in Los Angeles Surfrider’s Rise Above Plastics campaign gained another boost from Los Angeles City Council when they voted to ban plastic carryout bags in the city's supermarkets and stores by July 2010, if the state fails to impose a 25-cent fee on plastic shopping bags. In addition, the council members voted to reduce urban blight and marine debris by banning all expanded polystyrene (EPS or Styrofoam) food service products from City-owned facilities and city-sponsored events by 2010. The city’s resolution is geared at motivating consumers to begin carrying reusable bags to reduce the amount of plastic that washes into the city's storm drains and the ocean. Representatives from Surfrider’s West Los Angeles/Malibu and South Bay Chapters were present to give testimony regarding the City’s proposal. The ban was proposed by Councilman Ed Reyes, who called plastic bags "the graffiti of the L.A. River."
- Ventura City Council Adopts Green Street Policy Recognizing that stormwater is an issue for which the time has come, the Ventura City Council approved a policy for Green Street Elements and Demonstration Project. This policy would effectively follow two of the recommendations made by the Surfrider Foundation in Solving the Urban Runoff Problem, A Vision for the Urban Watershed, Ventura, California:
- 1. Develop a green streets program and implement pilot projects
- 2. Promote and develop incentives for community-based action (i.e. Ocean Friendly Gardens)
- The Ventura Chapter feels that a 'green streets' strategy is the best way of dealing with the 'concrete jungle' that is impacting the health of our oceans. With this new policy, the city will earmark 20% of the street paving fund to begin incorporating 'Green Street elements' into repaving projects on a citywide basis. The city will also design and construct a pilot project to set the example for expanding throughout the city. More info.
- Manhattan Beach Passes Ordinance to Ban Plastic Carry-Out Bags The Manhattan Beach City Council voted unanimously to prohibit carry-out plastic bags. Speaking in support of the ordinance was Surfrider Foundation legal intern, Rachel Dorfman, as well as Craig Cadwallader, Chair, and Alan Walti, Environmental Coordinator, of the South Bay Chapter. Representatives of Heal the Bay, the Earth Resource Foundation, and Manhattan Beach residents, including one 9 year-old resident, also encouraged passage of the ordinance. The plan will be phased in over two time periods, with grocery stores, food vendors, restaurants, pharmacies, and City facilities being given a 6-month period from tonight, and one year for all other retail establishments and vendors. More info.
- Plastic Bag Ban in Malibu In support of Heal The Bay's effort to address the problem of plastic bag litter in the marine environment, the West LA/Malibu Chapter successfully helped to convinced the Malibu City Council to ban both regular and biodegradable bags in all retail stores. This victory was part of the Chapter's Rise Above Plastics campaign efforts to educate members, the public, and local government officials about the dangers of plastic marine debris. More info.
- Protected Coastal Access at Strands Beach The developer at the Headlands in Dana Point attempted to remove a stairway providing beach access from the previously approved plan, citing geotechnical difficulties. The stairway had been a critical balancing point in the plan allowing the developer to build a gate blocking direct handicap access to Strands Beach. The CA Coastal Commission saw through this attempt to further limit access and denied the change.
- City of San Diego: Indirect Potable Reuse Following Surfrider’s and San Diego Coastkeeper’s 2002 lawsuits against the City of San Diego for improperly approving a waiver of secondary sewage treatment at its Point Loma Wastewater Treatment Plant, the environmental organizations entered into a multi-pronged settlement that required, among other things, that the City conduct a study of all available opportunities to increase water recycling within its service area. The environmental groups primarily sought to resurrect a previously failed Indirect Potable Reuse (IPR) project which would result in highly treated sewage being combined with San Diego’s raw water from the Colorado River or San Francisco Bay Delta. Sometimes called “toilet to tap,” the environmental groups nonetheless sought to re-initiate discussion among community leaders and citizens about the benefits of such a local source of water. After the production of a comprehensive Water Reuse Study involving numerous meetings, dozens of community leaders, and a technical advisory committee, the City Council finally took action. On October 29, 2007 the San Diego City Council approved a resolution authorizing the beginning steps of an Indirect Potable Re-Use (IPR) project in San Diego. The City Water Department was directed by the Council to:
- Execute a one-year demonstration project of the Advanced Water Treatment (AWT) process to begin July 1, 2008
- Conduct a current flow and detention study at the San Vicente Reservoir to ensure that any treated sewage added to the inflow would remain in the reservoir for at least one year before being processed for potable purposes
- Perform an independent energy and economic analysis for all water supply options in the Long-Range Water Resources Plan
- Conduct community education and outreach.
- The serious consideration and possible implementation of IPR would be an enormous victory for the environment. Not only would this new source of water be much more environmentally friendly than options such as desalination or imported water, it would also result in reduced flows of treated sewage into the Pacific Ocean via the Point Loma Ocean Outfall.
- City of San Diego Urban Runoff Management: Restrictions on Residential Over-Watering While significant strides have been made in recent years to control urban runoff from construction sites and industrial facilities, commercial and residential polluters have been too often overlooked. In particular, municipalities have been reluctant to require individual homeowners to abate the clearly wasteful practice of irrigation over-watering, despite the negative impacts to water supply and the fact that runoff from lawns and gardens consistently transmit bacteria, nutrient, and pesticide wastes to sensitive water bodies throughout the region.
- On January 22, 2008, at the request of the Surfrider Foundation's San Diego Chapter and San Diego Coastkeeper, an ordinance limiting residential over-watering was added to San Diego’s Jurisdictional Urban Run-off Management Plan (JURMP). Each city has to establish a JURMP to comply with the regional Municipal Stormwater Permit and the federal Clean Water Act (CWA). Securing this addition prohibition was monumental in that it sends a message to the entire region that we can no longer allow wasteful and polluting practices, regardless of whether they arise from businesses or private homes. More info.
- San Diego Regional Municipal Stormwater Permit The San Diego Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation worked in coalition with the San Diego Bay Council to support the passage of the San Diego region’s 2007 Municipal Stormwater Permit. This permit spells out the stormwater control requirements applicable to all of the region’s cities, the County of San Diego, the San Diego Unified Port District, and the San Diego Regional Airport Authority.
- Building on prior litigation victories defending earlier iterations of the stormwater permit, Surfrider and its partners were successful in strengthening various controls on construction, industrial, municipal, commercial, and residential urban runoff discharges. Of particular interest to Surfrider, the new permit contains a requirement that local jurisdictions develop comprehensive regulations for Low Impact Development (LID) and runoff-sensitive site design standards. Such provisions will ensure that the problems of increased impervious surface cover and unsustainable changes to watershed hydrology will not continue. With most new development now required to accommodate historic water infiltration and flow regimes, Surfrider can turn its attention to enforcement of runoff standards and mechanisms to require retrofitting of existing development.
- Pacific Grove Polystyrene Ban The City of Pacific Grove has passed an ordinance prohibiting the use of polystyrene food service wares. The ordinance acts to reduce local non-biodegradable and non-recyclable waste at the source, preventing its eventual disposal on local beaches and in the ocean. The Monterey Chapter partnered with Sustainable Pacific Grove and Monterey Green Action to accomplish their goal. More info.
- County of Santa Cruz Polystyrene Ban The County of Santa Cruz has passed an ordinance prohibiting the use of polystyrene food service wares. The Santa Cruz Chapter partnered with many other organizations to accomplish this victory.
- Fire Pits at Ocean Beach, San Francisco Beach-goers have enjoyed open fires at OB for over 100 years, starting when the booming San Francisco Fishing fleet supplied huge public "fish-fry" banquets out on the sand. Since then, thousands of San Franciscans from multiple generations have enjoyed this tradition. However, in recent years, the impacts of these fires have grown increasingly damaging to the fragile ecosystem of the beachscape, and poor usage has often left the beach trashed, challenging the National Park Service to maintain it to acceptable standards. After years of slowly reducing the area reserved for fires, the NPS finally moved to ban fires outright. Responding to the concerns of our membership, The San Francisco Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation agreed to organize the community to help the NPS maintain a series of new fire-pits, designed by local artists specifically for Ocean Beach, so that open fires would continue to be permitted. More info.
- City of San Diego Sewage Settlement In 2001 the Surfrider Foundation and San Diego Coastkeeper sued the City of San Diego for chronic sewage spills. At that point the City of San Diego averaged almost a sewage spill a day, and had spilled more than 45 million gallons of sewage into local waters during the five years prior. The aim of the suit was to bring the City into compliance with the law, and to set an aggressive schedule for sewage infrastructure improvements to alleviate the deleterious affects of these spills on local waters. On May 22, 2007, the San Diego City Council approved a final settlement with the Surfrider Foundation, San Diego Coastkeeper and the U.S. EPA that will force the City to invest almost $1 billion in its sewage infrastructure through 2013. The settlement will also ensure the continuation of the City’s successful Sewer Spill Reduction Program that has resulted in an 83% reduction in spills since 2000. Two partial consent decrees had been approved previously initiating these improvements, however due to the City’s financial situation a long term settlement was not yet possible. With the recent wastewater rate increases the City has now been able to enter into a long term agreement which will ensure continued investment in the City’s sewage infrastructure over the next six years. Surfrider is extremely pleased with the outcome of this lawsuit and the significant reduction in sewage spills we have witnessed to date.
- City of Santa Cruz adopts ban on polystyrene food service wares. The City of Santa Cruz passed an ordinance prohibiting the use of polystyrene food service wares.
- Stopped Destructive Development Project at the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors voted to reject the application for a Coastal Development Permit and Coastside Design Review Permit to construct a 3,159 square foot addition to an existing 1,332 square foot residence and detached accessory building on a 11,103 square foot parcel, including the removal of one significant size Cypress tree for property located at 324 The Strand, unincorporated Moss Beach area. The Board voted 4 out of 5 to reject the permit and stopped the project in its tracks. The proposed addition was inappropriately sized considering the sensitivity of the local habitat and the proximity to the coastline within the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve. Also, once approved, this project would likely have required reinforced armoring of the shoreline.
- Prevented Parking Fees at Santa Barbara County Beaches The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors did not go forward with implementing parking fees at the county’s beach recreational areas. Surfrider Foundation Santa Barbara chapter spoke out in opposition of the beach parking fees. More info.
- Capitola Polystyrene Ban The City of Capitola drafted an ordinance banning polystyrene foam from use as disposable food service ware and promoting the use of biodegradable and compostable food service wares. Due to pressure from the California Restaurant Association, the City had not officially approved or adopted the ordinance. The Santa Cruz chapter mobilized statewide support via electronic letters and broad-based local support via email, letters, phone calls, and testimony at City Council hearings from chapter members, scientists, restaurateurs, and food service management. The ordinance passed 3-2.
- Morro Bay/Cayucos Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade After years of hard work from the San Luis Bay Chapter of Surfrider and their allies, the era of the 301(h) waiver for the Morro Bay/Cayucos Wastewater Treatment Plant has come to an end. The Cayucos Community Service District Board and Morro Bay City Council both unanimously voted their intent to upgrade the Morro Bay/Cayucos Wastewater Treatment Plant to tertiary treatment standards. The plant currently operates under a 301(h) waiver that has exempted it for decades from meeting federal Clean Water Act standards and allows it to discharge effluent that has received only partial secondary treatment. The upgrade will increase the treatment to full secondary and include additional tertiary treatment—which means cleaner effluent and opportunity to reclaim water for non-potable use. This is a landmark moment for the Chapter, the communities of Morro Bay and Cayucos, and all Californians, as the upgrade of this plant will eliminate one of the two remaining 301(h) waivers in the state.
- Marine Protected Areas on the Central Coast, CA A network of Marine Protected Areas was enacted on the Central Coast as part of the Marine Life Protection Act. Surfrider and its partners have worked for several years with activists and stakeholders throughout California to help make this happen.
- Banned Plastic Bags in San Francisco The San Francisco Chapter of Surfrider Foundation is actively involved in encouraging community members and local businesses to reduce their use of plastic. The chapter, along with other environmental organizations attended a hearing for the Plastic Bag Reduction Ordinance at City Hall, on March 8, 2007. Chapter activists were there to support the passage of this very important ordinance and on March 27, 2007 San Francisco's Board of Supervisors voted 10-1 to make the city the first in the nation to prohibit petroleum-based plastic checkout bags in large markets and pharmacies. More info
- Surfer's Point Project Approval Surfer's Point restoration project received final approval by CA Coastal Commission. This was the culmination of 10 year campaign. More info.
- Topanga water quality The West LA/Malibu Chapter convinced the California State Parks Department to test for and clean up ongoing water quality issues related to leaking septic systems at Topanga Lagoon and Beach. More info.
- Tidepool awareness and educational success in Los Angeles Surfrder's West LA/Malibu chapter compelled State Parks to implement successful Tidepool Awareness Program at Malibu and Point Dume and erect educational signage protecting intertidal marine life. More info.
- New Water Quality Measures for Santa Monica Bay The West LA/Malibu and South Bay Chapters were part of a coalition of environmental groups and concerned citizens who successfully lobbied for inclusion of a bacteria Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) into Regional Water Quality Control Board Storm Water Permits for all municipalities draining into Santa Monica Bay.
- Removal of Rincon, CA septic tanks The Santa Barbara and Ventura chapters, in partnership with Heal the Ocean, compelled a state agency to force removal of septics at Rincon.
- San Diego Smoking Ban The San Diego Chapter worked successfully to convince the city coucil to pass a smoking ban for City of San Diego beaches and parks.
- Santa Monica Bay beaches smoking ban Surfrider's West LA/Malibu and South Bay Chapters partnered to ban smoking on beaches throughout Santa Monica Bay, home to most of Los Angeles County's beaches.
- Temporary seawall ban in Solana Beach The San Diego Chapter worked successfully for a ban on new seawalls in Solana Beach until a new ordinance is devised. More info
- Rockpile seawall stopped The South Orange County Chapter stopped plans to build a 300 foot seawall in front of "Rockpile" at Heisler Park in Laguna Beach. More info
- Coastal bluff in Santa Barbara saved. Protected open space on coastal bluff from development at Claire's Park.
- HB Desal EIR Rejected The Huntington Beach/Seal Beach Chapter helped convince the Huntington Beach City Council to reject the draft EIR on a proposed desalination facility. The chapter continues to oppose this facility, which would utilize a fish-killing water intake system.
- Funding Projects for UCSB Coast The Isla Vista Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation and the UCSB Environmental Affairs Board teamed up to create a board of directors that would give grants to projects benefiting the UCSB coast. This project has contributed over $100,000 to the coast.
- El Morro returned to Crystal Cove The South Orange County Chapter is part of a large coalition of environmental organizations who supported removal of a private trailer park and implementation of a State Park plan to return an area of Crystal Cove State Park to a more natural setting as a state park campground. The Coastal Commission approved this project in October 2004, the residents vacated the property in March 2006, the trailers were removed in late 2006. Restoration of the area and construction of new campsites and facilities began in July 2008. More info.
- Approval of LB Breakwater Study The Long Beach Chapter helped convince a majority of the City Council to agree to study the removal of the southern breakwater and the return of waves to Belmont Shores.
For a list of Surfrider Foundation's latest coastal victories, go here.
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