Grand Jury Urges O.C. to Clean 3 Harbors

The Orange County Grand Jury on Wednesday released a sweeping set of recommendations aimed at cutting in half by 2004 the debris and trash floating in harbors in Dana Point, Newport Beach and Huntington Beach.

The report said county officials should give $225,000 to the three cities in the next three years to achieve the cleanup.

During the first rainstorms every year, untold amounts of debris are washed from storm drains and channels into each of the county’s harbors. While tons of trash are collected annually from the waterways, the grand jury said more must be done to preserve the county’s coastal appeal.

“Natural and foreign plant matter, dead animals, animal waste, trash, wood, plastics, construction materials, fast-food containers, and sometimes medical waste, systematically move through the county to collect in these harbors, especially after the first significant rain of the season,” the report said.

The grand jury recommended:

* Installing high-tech screens and collecting devices at flood control channels that enter these harbors.

* Providing $25,000 per year to Dana Point, Huntington Beach and Newport Beach for three years, for a total of $225,000, for harbor debris cleanup.

* Banning disposable plastics and plastic foam in county-operated eating facilities.

* Creating a multilingual education program about the dangers of dumping into storm drains and flood control channels.

Larry Paul, the county’s manager of coastal facilities, said more analysis is needed before his department can say whether the 50% reduction by 2004 is achievable.

He noted that major work has already been done, including adding floating booms that capture debris at storm channel outlets in Huntington Harbour and in Newport Beach.

Dave Kiff, a deputy city manager for Newport Beach, said the report is “right on target.”

“They raise some good concerns about trash that should be addressed,” he said.

Health officials and activists noted that while the trash and debris may cause hazards, the greatest concerns--pathogens and chemicals--are invisible.

“The bacteria problem is what’s going to make us humans sick,” said Monica Mazur, spokeswoman for the county’s Health Care Agency.

Although activists were pleased, they say much more needs to be done.

“It’s a great start,” said Bob Caustin, director of Defend the Bay, an environmental group that successfully sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for not doing enough to control pollution entering Newport Bay. “It’s time that all of us take responsibility, and that includes the county.”

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Screening Out Harbor Debris

Grate installation on storm drains and flood control channels tops the list of the Orange County Grand Jury’s recommendations for cutting down debris in the county’s three harbors. Most require the county or cities to take action by 2004.

* Install debris screens and collectors where flood control channels enter the harbors to reduce solid debris 50%.

* Start a multilingual information program to inform the public that disposing trash and debris in flood control channels and storm drains is illegal and has negative environmental impacts.

* Require harbor cities to install grates, filters or other devices over or within storm drains that empty directly into harbors.

* All cities, with the exception of Dana Point, install high-tech storm drains and catch basin filters to reduce water-driven debris.

* Increase by $25,000 each county funding to Dana Point, Newport Beach and Huntington Beach for three years for harbor debris cleanup, starting this year.

* The county, Huntington Beach and Seal Beach should contract jointly for debris removal in all of the waterways of Huntington Harbour.

* Prohibit use of disposable plastics and Styrofoam in restaurants/food stands operated by or for the county.

* Start programs in all cities that encourage businesses and other facilities to reduce the use and sale of disposable plastic and Styrofoam containers and encourage participation plastic and Styrofoam recycling.

Source: Orange County Grand Jury