A SPECIAL REPORT: THE COAST

PAINTING THE BAY: Newport Bay has a history of pollution problems--from sewage dumped by boaters to fertilizer from Irvine nurseries. Now, there’s a new concern. . . . Tests show that underwater hull cleaning releases toxic flecks of copper and zinc from paint, which could harm marine life. “Releases of toxic paints . . . may be substantial,” the state’s regional water-quality board reported recently. The agency is investigating and hopes to control the pollution.