Coalition Urges Passage of Coastal Protection Bills

A coalition of environmental and fishing groups joined state legislators on the Santa Monica Pier on Wednesday to voice support for a package of 30 coastal protection bills coming before this year’s session of the Legislature.

Assemblywoman Sheila Kuehl (D-Santa Monica), Assemblyman Tony Cardenas (D-Sylmar) and actor Ted Danson, who is president of the American Oceans Campaign, urged the Legislature to pass the “Healthy Coast” legislative agenda. Supporters said the comprehensive bipartisan package represents an unprecedented legislative effort to develop more stringent enforcement, regulation and cleanup of the coastline.

“Our fish have tumors, our seals have cancer, our dolphins in Santa Monica Bay have the highest cases of DDT,” said Bob Sulnick, executive director of the American Oceans Campaign. “Yet we have not taken deliberate and decisive action at a legislative level to clean up the coast.”

The package includes a bill sponsored by Kuehl that would create two marine refuges off the Malibu coast. The Coastal Bond Act, which was authored by Assemblyman Fred Keeley (D-Boulder Creek), would provide funds to restore coastal ecosystems, including $15 million to help implement the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Project.

Many of the bills address reducing beach pollution and increasing investment in coastal management agencies, which have been stretched thin trying to monitor potential polluters.

“You will finally see the regional water quality control board with enough resources to inspect these facilities,” said Mark Gold, executive director of Heal the Bay.