Clean Coastline Is Worth Billions, Government Says

Commercial and recreational activities that depend on a clean environment generate at least $10 billion a year for the six coastal counties from Monterey to Sonoma, a government-supported report said Monday.

“This report defines, in economic terms, what we’ve known for so long intuitively--that our coast is immeasurably valuable,” Monterey County Supervisor Marc Del Piero said. “However, we now have the dollar figures to talk the federal government’s language.”

The report was released the day before a House Appropriations Committee vote on whether to extend the annual funding moratorium on oil lease sales off California’s coast.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration also has scheduled hearings later this week on a proposed Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary that could extend from Monterey to San Mateo County.

The $10-billion figure is the result of combining the economic effects of various forms of fishing along the coast with other areas of recreation, tourism and commercial boating in Monterey, Santa Cruz, San Mateo, San Francisco, Marin and Sonoma counties, said Lesley Estes, spokeswoman for Central Coast OCS Regional Studies Program, which compiled the report. The program is a cooperative effort of the six California counties.