The Decision to Restore the Bolsa Chica Wetlands

Re “Panel OKs Bolsa Chica Restoration,” Nov. 14:

The Bolsa Chica Conservancy supports the approval of the proposed wetlands project at Bolsa Chica and has only a few comments to make:

1. We adamantly approve of the removal of the nearly 500 abandoned telephone poles and hope that it will be done prior to, or during, phase one of the construction. This will benefit the threatened western snowy plover and the endangered California least tern.

2. We feel it is important to repeat our concerns about the loss of Cell 4, at the end of the boardwalk, which is a highly used roosting area and also a prime nesting area for the western snowy plover. In addition, the recreational and educational value in Cell 4 will be totally eliminated for the public. Nowhere else is this type of viewing accessible to the general public and particularly for handicapped individuals and families with children.

3. We congratulate the California Coastal Commission staff, the steering committee and Caltrans for their negotiations that modified the bridge over the inlet from six lanes to the existing roadway size of four lanes. This is not only visually more attractive, but also gives a substantial savings in construction costs! Cursory observation tells me that eliminating two lanes--15 to 18 feet wide and 420 feet in length at a construction cost estimated in the budget of $80 a square foot--results in significant savings.

4. On public facilities and improved public access to the state beach, which is currently planned to be addressed in the later planning stage: We would like to suggest that passive improvements such as photography blinds and guided seasonal hikes could be reserved by the public for a nominal fee. Also, several raised platform overviews should be considered. The cost of creating a safe access from the ecological reserve across Pacific Coast Highway to the state beach could be shared with the state parks and Caltrans.

Certainly these relatively inexpensive public recreational and educational improvements could be planned in the early stages instead of the later stages. Also, these minor public benefits could be afforded with the money saved from reducing the width of the bridge over the ocean inlet.

Adrianne Morrison

Executive Director

Bolsa Chica Conservancy

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Before we heap too many accolades on the California Coastal Commission or the environmental groups that testified in favor of this plan, let’s remember that it was the good people at Signal Landmark, Koll and Hearthside Homes who paid for and designed the plan inherited by the public agencies. These businesses, not the coastal commission, creatively developed the funding source for restoration, and, most importantly, sold the land at a mind-boggling discount to the state to enable its ownership by the public.

If it wasn’t for the work and vision of the private sector, nothing would have gotten done--it would still be just talk! And we would probably be looking at another 35 years of Bolsa Chica wasteland.

Bob Traver

Huntington Beach

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It appears that we are about to spend $100 million to restore the Bolsa Chica wetlands and risk the destruction of the adjacent beach.

Lurking in the Bolsa Chica lowlands is 17,500 feet of abandoned oil pipelines, 10,500 feet of abandoned wet gas pipelines and a 12,000-foot-long wet gas pipeline with a history of leaks and spills.

Eighty years of oil production in the lowlands have left us with heavy metals and elevated levels of volatile organic carbons and hydrocarbons. The engineers charged with the reconstruction of the wetlands must decontaminate the area to levels favorable to aquatic and terrestrial critters.

Potentially significant jetty construction impacts include: water quality concerns, Bolsa Chica State Beach loss of use, degradation to the character of the Pacific Coast Highway bridge and inlet site, and traffic. Post-construction impacts include: impacts to residences from changes in ground water flow, jetty-related safety impact to surfers and swimmers, ongoing dredging, bridge and supplemental drainage system maintenance, beach postings and closures due to storm-related bacteria elevations carried by the ebb tide, beach erosion and more.

Has anyone explained how the cleanest beach in Orange County will remain protected? Will the dredging of the wetlands be the Pandora’s box that contaminates wetland and ocean alike?

Greg Jewell

Westminster

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The proposed restoration of the Bolsa Chica wetlands is already hitting a water quality wall. Surf-rider and the Orange County Harbors, Beaches and Parks division call it a mistake and express apprehension about possible high bacterial counts, leading to episodic or chronic closures to ocean lovers. This wetlands recovery project has taken a generation to procure, and it is very narrow-minded of so-called environmentalist groups or individuals to oppose it. Having grown up (and surfed) in this area, I can assure you that nothing surpasses the natural ambience of a real coastal marsh. “Wilderness for its own sake” should be the goal. If this results in seawater unfit for human immersion, so be it. Denying an intact ecosystem to allow a few more surfers a little pleasure is selfish.

The naysayers are typically anthropocentric, their objections petty in regard to what conservation biologists and real friends of Mother Nature know to be true: What’s best for the planet should prevail.

Roger von Butow

Chairman, Clean Water Now! Coalition

Laguna Beach