Study Says Runoff Is No. 1 Polluter of Bay
The American Oceans Campaign released a report Friday that reemphasizes that more needs to be done to clean Santa Monica Bay and stresses the damage that storm drain runoff has done to the coastal area.
The 300-page report, which took a year to compile, describes threats to 28 significant estuaries nationwide and efforts to clean up the areas.
In Santa Monica Bay, threats include habitat loss, pathogen contamination, conventional and toxic pollutants and floatable debris, the report says.
It shows that urban storm water is the leading source of pollution in Santa Monica Bay. The runoff is caused by increased development in the coastal area, which includes cities that are an hour or more from the coast, said Joan Hartmann, senior policy counsel for the American Oceans Campaign.
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