|
|
Thursday, November 5th was a beautiful day. The way our community rocked the hearing was inspiring to see. LA Times headlines that afternoon read “Hundreds Pack Hearings on Malibu Septic tanks” About 160 people attended Thursday’s hearing to show their support for Clean Water at Malibu. Our chapter was in effect at the hearing and handed over around 1,150 petition signatures. Nice to have the Clean Water Act enforced in LA. Waiting for that since 1972.
This victory was long fought for, and will be sweet forever.
There was point that Regional Board had so many comment cards they stressed out a little-concerned that we’d be there till midnight hearing everyones opinnion. But then the Board’s Vice Chair Frances Spivy Weber counted through the ones that were non-speaker cards. She held up 135 cards for supporters, and a meager 5-10 opposed to the prohibition. Tom Nefcy from MSA waved his support card from the back and she smiled saying “Make that one thirty six”.
I love this Water Board. In the end they had enough time to make a decision, in part because we limited our speakers. They voted 5-2 to ban any new septic systems in central and eastern Malibu, and existing systems will have to stop wastewater discharges -residential by the year 2019, and commercial by 2015. The boards decisive action to alleviate our health risk surfing at Malibu show that our quiet, disciplined years of work for clean water can pay off.
photo courtesy Malibu Surfing Association
In a KPCC interview, Tracy Egoscue, the executive director of the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board, says Malibu’s past is one of the best reasons to take action in the present. Egoscue says it’s the third time the regional water board has considered dramatic action. “The City of Malibu has been under a memorandum to clean things up,” she points out. “They have resisted this effort from the beginning and, they have failed to do what they have promised to do, so obviously what we’ve been doing isn’t working and we have to do something more.” Regional Board presents the science.
  
It was a once in a lifetime experience to be part of this victory for Malibu, and to see our community come together for this historic win at Surfrider Beach. The boards decision provides enforceable deadines for the cleanup of septics polluting Surfrider, and we look forward to a comprehensive wastewater plan for the Civic Centers’ wastewater needs-to meet the generous deadlines set out in the prohibition.
We had incredible support this year from the dedicated volunteers in West/LA Malibu, and from our tireless global staff Nancy Hastings, Alexis Henry, and Angela Howe. Our coalition with Malibu Surf Association, Santa Monica Baykeepers, and Heal the Bay is a strong voice for clean water in Los Angeles-one that will continue make it’s mark and improve water quality in LA in the coming years.
Surfrider Foundation was founded to protect this wave, and we are honored to have inherited the work of decades of volunteers for a win at Malibu. Special thanks to volunteers Ed Emanuelli, Vanessa Meier, Wes Negus, Jessica Lacson, Juli Schulz, Henry Peacor, Katherine Nuguyen, Drew Albenze, and Angel Scott, and many more who worked so hard to get Clean Water at the Bu. Our coalition partners at the MSA, Michael Blum, and Joe Melchione kept this beach on our minds always.
This win can encourage us all to keep the faith in our work on complex, long lasting fights for our right to clean water. We can win for the environment in LA, against all odds. This is our day to know that for sure.
Thank you for your support for Clean Water at the Bu!!!
VICTORY Press links:
surfline
latimes
msa testifies
KPCC
 
Aussie surfer/photographer Dane Peterson recently showed his support for Clean Water at the Bu. We love to have support from the artists, shapers, and surf heros that love the wave at Surfrider Beach-it’s a world famous wave. Crazy then, that it’s gotten F water quality ratings 62% of this year so far.
I love this classic photo of Bindy Baggs, (Patagonia surf ambassador) recently the cover of Surfers Journal. Check out more of Dane Petersons’ lush photography
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dpimagery/
Join our new Facebook cause and find out how you can support as well:
http://apps.facebook.com/causes/335579
Sign the petition at: http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/cleanwateratthebu_06_09
Here are Joel Tudor and CJ Nelson showing support for the campaign-we’ve been getting tons of support talking to everyone this summer about ending the F ratings at Surfrider beach. Joel’s new boards www.kookboxx.com
 
GET INVOLOVED-it’s all going down this year.
Inform yourself about your beach, and let people know that Surfrider frequently earns an F rating-it’s gotten Fs twenty weeks this year so far. know what’s up
Join our facebook cause and get updates on the latest news . http://apps.facebook.com/causes/335579
Volunteer with our Clean Water at the Bu campaign. volunteer
 SF volunteers turned out to Malibu Boardriders Call to the Wall Contest on Saturday- It’s time for this classic, pumping, California wave to get some modern, effective wastewater treatment. We have the right to surf in safe water.
Our task force volunteers are out in full force this summer, spreading the word about recent victories for Clean Water at the Bu. LA County’s powerful Regional Water Quality Control Board has heard the public’s voice, and has stepped in to make a wastewater plan for the area surrounding the beach!
Surf was small at Call to the Wall this Saturday, but there was an epic swell of support for Clean Water at the Bu. It was amazing to get support from several generations of surfers.
 
It was cool to see everyone support by wearing their Malibu tee shirt, and slapping a Clean Water at the Bu sticker on the back of their van.
  
Thanks a ton to the chapter volunteers that helped, and to everyone there for supporting.
  
Late May is the time of year Heal the Bay releases their annual Beach Report Card. Again this year, the Bu (Surfrider Beach) gets an F for high levels of water pollution. In fact, out of the 23 beaches that got F’s, Surfrider Beach was the 8th dirtiest. We really can do better than ”exceptionally nasty” for this lovely wave.
In a year when 91% of California beaches recieved a A-B, we are still hurting surfing the Bu. Why is this? We need a smart, forward thinking plan for stormwater and wastewater treatment for the lower Malibu watershed. We are still waiting for a wastewater plan from the City of Malibu.
I want to surf the Bu and not have worry about kids playing in the lagoon breach-I’m always walking by wondering if their parents know how gross that water is. This problem is old, and it’s foul. Too gross to mention, but to important to ignore. According to Heal the Bay, “high bacteria counts at these (top ten) sites are linked to such potential illnesses as stomach flu, ear infections and major skin rashes.” Barf!
You can help by signing our petition, or by writing a letter to LA’s Regional Water Quality Control Board asking for a comprehesive wastewater and stormwater solution for Malibu Creek Lower Watershed. The board members like to hear from you on issues that affect your health-let them know that F grades are unacceptable at the Bu!
Los Angeles Regional Quality Control Board
310 West Forth Street, Suite 200
Los Angeles CA 90013
What role does the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board Play?
The Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) protects ground and surface water quality in the Los Angeles Region, including the coastal watersheds of Los Angeles. It operates as part of the California Environmental Protection Agency (CAL/EPA), and has the power to permit and regulate wastewater projects in Malibu. In April 2009, the board identified 39 Malibu businesses and public facilities are violating water quality standards, and issued notices of violation to them. In addition, the RWQCB has instructed their staff to create a plan for wastewater treatment in the area of Surfrider Beach by November of this year. www.swrcb.ca.gov/rwqcb4/
Photo courtesy of Malibu Surf Association.
 Memorial Day is always such a sweet time of year-the water starts to hit 60 degrees, extra long weekend, summer fever kicks in. This year it’s extra sweet, because SCCRWP scientists will be starting an amazing new study-to find out what’s really going on with water quality at the Bu.
Southern California Coastal Water Research Project www.sccwrp.org/bu represents the colaboration of many enviro labs and researchers and they’re about to focus their joint powers directly on the Bu. Yes!!
SCCWRP was formed in 1969, and since then has been busy developing better water quality monitoring methods, looping water quality testing groups together to share info. Their goal this summer is to correlate human sickness with water quality data.
 Our task force members spoke to SCCWRP recently- and they shared their plans with us:
SCCRWP will test the 3 locations that LA county currently samples at Surfrider Beach. There will be three arms of the SCCWRP project:
1. SCCRWP will conduct the same tests the county is already doing, to see if they are working.
2. SCCRWP will collect samples for Enterococcus, Fecal Coliform, and Total Coliform, and analyzes them with DNA fingerprinting technology. The 3 terms are bacterial indicators that could explain some swimming-associated gastrointestinal illness. The DNA tests can have results within two hours-much quicker than the county’s current methods.
3. SCCRWP will collect water samples and analyze them for different types of bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens that may affect human health. They’ll be looking in particular for Bacteroides found in the human digestive system, and risk to humans from animal sources.
Additionally, swimmers will be interviewed and tracked two weeks after their exposure to the water at the Bu. UC Berkely will be interviewing people at the Bu throughout the summer to see how the water sampling results and people’s wellness may correlate.
The project will begin on Memorial Day and last through Labor Day.
Read more here: www.sccwrp.org/bu
All photos courtesy of SCCWRP. Cheers!!!
 I spent the day at the Malibu Pier today, chatting with people about how to get clean water at the Bu. It’s amazing that this precious wave failed to meet clean water standards 74 times during the dry season last year, and that means a wastewater solution is urgently needed in the Bu. The pier was full of beautiful people, out to support Surfrider at the Maliblu festival. Hundereds of people showed their support for our campaign by signing our petiton requesting a wastewater treatment solution for the areas surrounding Surfrider Beach. 
You can support too by signing here. LA’s Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) likes to hear from the public, and we want to let them know that there is public support for wastewater solutions in Malibu.
http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/cleanwateratthebu
I am very pleased to report that LA’s Regional Water Quality Control Board is taking action to stem the flow from area septics into our beloved wave. They have identified 39 Malibu businesses and public facilities are violating water quality standards, and issued notices of violation to them. In addition, the board has instructed their staff to create a plan for wastewater treatment in the area of Surfrider Beach by November of this year.
According to the LA Times,
“The Malibu Country Mart, Malibu Colony Plaza, Cross Creek Plaza and Serra Retreat Center were among more than three dozen businesses and public facilities cited Friday by the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board for a variety of alleged violations related to water quality.
The board said notices of violation and orders to comply were sent after its staff began finding trouble spots while researching whether to prohibit septic tanks in the Civic Center area. In November, the board directed its staff to propose such a prohibition to protect water quality in that area, which contains many old septic systems that the board says leach sewage into Malibu Creek and Lagoon and the ocean.”-April 24th
In a KPFK interview friday, RWQB Executive Officer Tracy Egoscue explained
“We took a map, we looked at the county records. We saw who has building out there, we found commercial establishments that have no permit, and then we actually looked at monitoring reports and saw that there were chronic and really bad exceedances of not only permit requirements but water quality standards.” -April 24th
Read more here:
Regional water regulators crack down on violations in Malibu (KPCC)
http://bit.ly/e5Yfr
LA water quality board cites 38 Malibu businesses (Malibu Times)
http://bit.ly/sdjl9
Malibu businesses cited in water rules violations (SF Chron) http://bit.ly/m8atS
Regional water regulators crack down on violations in Malibu (KPCC)
http://bit.ly/e5Yfr
Dozens of Malibu firms, facilities cited for alleged water quality
violations (LAT) http://bit.ly/W0iRN
Thanks to the artists and musicians that showed their support for Surfrider at the Malibu festival: Tyrone Wells – myspace.com/tyronewells, Mishka – myspace.com/4mishka, Meiko – myspace.com/meiko, Trevor Hall – myspace.com/trevorhall.
And to the Emergen-c crew for throwing a great party.     
We auctioned custom surfboards, paintings and photos from these guys: Tom Dumont (No Doubt),Chad Butler (Switchfoot), Eric Avery (Jane’s Addiction), Tristan Prettyman (Singer/Songwriter) , Jay Alders. Drew Brophy , Grant Ellis, Heather Brown, John Severson, Phil Roberts, Rick Rietveld, Ron Croci, and Wade Koniakowsky.
Great day at Malibu Pier. Thanks to all who are helping get clean water at the Bu!
March 9th, 2009 – Legacy Park Projects Appeal Hearing
It’s a crowded, salty meeting room where the shots get called for water quality issues in Malibu. The City Council wields their legislative authority here and decides how the City handles it’s wastewater. On March 9th, Malibu City Council Chambers were about 1/3 full of surfers.
I have been in this room many times this year, and have witnessed an old school get-up-and-pound-the-podium version of democracy. For those of you who have not participated in water quality hearings in Malibu I encourage you to come down and see how it’s done.
On this day, the session was intensified to say the least.
In the dry season last year, Surfrider beach failed to meet clean water regulations seventy four times. According to Heal the Bays statistics, Surfrider Beach has been getting even dirtier each year. Over 80 percent of the City of Malibu still operates on septic tanks.
After several hours of waiting and stewing over these frustrations, I did get a bit hot. Malibu City council members heard our appeal at 9:30 pm. My hands may have been shaking with frustration when I spoke. Surfrider Foundation WLAM, Heal the Bay, Santa Monica Baykeepers, Malibu Surf Association all united to ask Malibu City Council to include wastewater treatment in the Legacy Park Projects Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and create a smart, integrated plan for stormwater and wastewater treatment in the civic center. We think this is the best way to clean up the Bu.
The groundwater below the Civic Center is “impaired for nutrients”. In plain speak, super saturated with waste. Water from the future stormwater and wastewater facilities may enter this groundwater. Asking the City to know exactly how much water total may discharge from both stormwater and wastewater facilities in the civic center is basic.
If there is discharge from a wastewater facility into the contaminated groundwater, where will it flow from? Will it pass under the civic center and flow into Surfrider Beach? Will that flush contaminated groundwater into the Bu? We don’t know these answers because the city has not completed plan for a wastewater facility and will consider it in a totally separate environmental impact report.
After the coalition spoke, long time residents, surfers, and scientists lined up to be heard. In two minutes each, they told stories about their experiences getting sick at Surfrider Beach, voiced frustration that wastewater treatment has been removed from Legacy Park Projects, and noted that spending 45 million on stormwater treatment will make a barely noticeable improvement in water quality at Surfrider Beach. 
If you’ve ever seen the film noir Chinatown, this issue may be the closest you will get to that salty era of water politics in California. In the end, Mayor Pamela Ulich and Council Member Jefferson Wagner (Zuma Jay) supported our request to consider wastewater treatment in the environmental impact report for Legacy Park Projects. Unfortunately, the other three members John Sibert, Sharon Barovsky, and Andy Stern voted to turn down our advice.
In the end I guess it’s a numbers game. If we had had two thirds of the people in the room asking for clean water, rather than one third, would we have carried the day? What if so many people were anticipated to show up that they had to rent a larger venue, like they did with Trestles?
This appeal may be the last chance Malibu has to make local decisions about how wastewater is treated in their city. In November of 2008 the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Board directed their staff to draft a plan including a proposal for a wastewater treatment plant to address the civic center’s wastewater. This proposal is to be completed by November of 2009.
This debate will continue. Our coalition member Mark Gold (President, Heal the Bay) said in his blog about the evening: “Stormwater and wastewater treatment and recycling must be part of an overall strategy to protect aquatic life and human health, but the city continues to piecemeal these efforts. This time, the city council may have gone too far in labeling the environmental community the bad guys.” Read the complete post:
http://spoutingoff.wordpress.com/2009/03/10/tainted-legacy/
Stay tuned, and spread the word. We want clean water at Surfrider Beach.
Appeal Hearing-Legacy Park Projects.
March 9th 6:30-9pm
Malibu City Hall Chambers. 23815 Stuart Ranch Rd Malibu, CA 90265.
We ask Malibu City Council to include wastewater treatment in the Legacy Park plan as originally agreed and clean up the poo at the Bu.
March 9th is the day people. For everyone who has ever felt sour about the worsening water quality at Surfrider Beach, your opportunity to speak your mind and make change is here. There has never been a more perfect storm of pressure on Malibu City Council to clean up the Bu. Our coalition of Surfrider Foundation WLAM, Heal the Bay, Santa Monica Baykeepers, Malibu Surf Association is united to ask Malibu City Council to include wastewater treatment in the Legacy Park plan as originally agreed and clean up the poo at the Bu. You heard about Trestles? Well this is our Trestles, and the time to get involved is NOW! Come to the hearing wearing blue, and let the city council know that we want clean water at the Bu! We have a designated speaker that will comment on the behalf of the chapter, and we encourage you to register and comment on this issue as an individual. Support Surfrider’s appeal to the City Council, and ask that they better protect surfers at Malibu by including wastewater treatment in Malibu’s Legacy Park.
How can you help if I can’t make the meeting?
• SIGN THE PETITION asking for Clean Water at the Bu. actionnetwork.org/campaign/cleanwateratthebu
What is Legacy Park?
Legacy Park is a project in design development within Malibu’s Civic Center area. How it is designed and built will have far-reaching and long-term consequences to the water quality at Surfrider Beach. If designed right, it can potentially help solve the chronic water quality problems at the Bu.
What are Surfrider’s Goals for Legacy Park?
- Design Legacy Park for the maximum stormwater capture and treatment utilizing treatment wetlands in the final plan.
- Create a comprehensive solution for wastewater and stormwater treatment that fixes the chronic pollution problems caused by septic systems and onsite wastewater treatment systems in the Civic Center area, Serra Retreat, and Malibu Colony.
- Build a wastewater treatment / water recycling facility near Legacy Park by 2011 that addresses all septic systems and on-site wastewater treatment systems in the Civic Center area, Malibu Colony, and Serra Retreat.
- A moratorium on all future development in the area until the projects above are complete.
MOVE TOWARDS CLEAN WATER AT THE ‘BU
On November 20th, the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Board (RWQCB) directed their staff to draft a plan including a revocation of the City of Malibu’s ability to manage commercial septic systems in the civic center, ban septic tanks that pose a risk to the already impaired Malibu Creek and Surfrider Beach, and a proposal for a wastewater treatment plant. This comes as great news given that contaminated groundwater from the civic center area has been a major contributor to the high levels of bacteria and harmful nutrients flowing into the surf zone at Surfrider Beach for decades.
|
|
