Environmental Work Is Ongoing

* The Jan. 30 story “The Tide May Be Turning” did a commendable job of highlighting the environmental movement in Orange County.

The environmental organizations of Orange County have reason to be proud of the successes achieved after many years of hard work.

However, I would like to correct the impression that environmentalism is a recent phenomenon that has sprung up only in the last few months in response to a thriving economy.

The grass-roots efforts to save major environmental resources such as Bolsa Chica, the Dana Point Headlands and Hellman Ranch have gone on for decades, through all swings of the economy.

Had environmental activists not been continuously struggling to save our state’s last remaining environmental resources along our coast, they would have been lost long ago.

It is also premature to say that our coastal wetlands have been “saved” and that “victories” have been achieved with regard to the areas highlighted.

While we are heartened by the recent recognition by state agencies, legislative bodies and developers themselves that we have a duty to protect our state’s diminishing natural resources from destructive impacts of adjacent development, victory can hardly be claimed at this point.

The recommendation of the Coastal Commission staff to maintain the lower bench of the Bolsa Chica Mesa as open space is well-supported by scientific data and recognizes the importance of protective buffer areas between development and ecologically sensitive areas.

The staff’s recommendation to prohibit outfall pipes that would carry toxic urban runoff into Outer Bolsa Bay, Warner Pond and mudflat habitat areas is but a common-sense recognition that such structures would amount to a death sentence to the viability of these fragile wildlife habitats.

But “recommendation” is the operative word at this point.

Tremendous lobbying efforts are being mounted by developer Hearthside Homes and others to persuade the Coastal Commission to reject the recommendations of its staff. An unrelenting counter-effort by environmental activists will be required to convince the commission of the necessity of these protective measures. It is our hope that the citizens of Orange County will continue to help in our continuing effort to stop the loss of our environmental resources.

LINDA SAPIRO MOON

President, Amigos de Bolsa Chica

Huntington Beach

* Re “The Tide May Be Turning,” Jan. 30:

Orange County, along with the rest of the country, is doing well economically and people are giving more.

Most people do want to see things saved and not destroyed. Most people do want to see the quality of life improve.

I think residents of Orange County are tired of going on a hike on Sunday afternoon only to look out on a sea of tract homes and red-tiled roofs.

I think they are tired of their kids coming home with colds and illnesses after surfing or playing in the creek.

I do believe most residents in this county are starting to believe that they do have a voice in what goes on in their community.

Unfortunately, it’s through the environmental groups instead of their own greedy city councils or county. The tides may turn when the cities and county actually start listening to the citizens instead of the corporations and developers.

TOBY SHACKELFORD

San Clemente