  A seawall is defeated! |
WE'VE GOT SAND! Surfrider Foundation wins a huge victory for the Campaign to Save Washington's Beaches. by Drew Kampion and Kevin Ranker MAKING WAVES, August/September 1999 |
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A settlement has been reached between the Washington State Surfrider Foundation, Washington State Department of Ecology and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers relating to the revetment extension in Half Moon Bay, located in Westport, Washington. A suit had been brought by Surfrider before the Pollution Control Hearings Board to challenge the Department of Ecology's failure to extract a long-term commitment to beach nourishment from the Corps of Engineers. Regular beach nourishment is critical to assure that erosion does not degrade the beach and expose the rock revetment, thereby destroying surfing and other recreational uses in Half Moon Bay. By strengthening the Corps' commitment to beach nourishment in Half Moon Bay, we make it more likely that surfers and other beachcombers can continue to enjoy the Bay into the future. The settlement makes long-term beach nourishment an enforceable component of Ecology's commitment to preserve natural sandy beaches. In addition, the settlement requires the Department of Ecology to improve its Coastal Zone Management program. Making public comment periods and public participation in the planning process more accessible and abundant. These changes will increase public participation in critical decisions which affect the future of Washington's coastline. Perhaps the biggest victory for Surfrider Foundation, beach-goers and the citizens of Washington State is that the Army Corps has abandoned its plan to place a rock wall along the entire beach of Half Moon Bay. Under the current plan, a wave refraction device planned by the Corps will extend northeast from the back of the south Jetty of Grays Harbor, into Half Moon Bay. This device may even enhance surfing, which in recent years has become a source of critical income to the tourist economy of Westport. The Washington State Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation recognizes that beaches are unique coastal environments with enormous ecological, recreational and economic value. The Surfrider Foundation further recognizes that beaches are a public resource and should be held in the public trust. As human activities and development in coastal areas increase, the need for preservation of beaches becomes increasingly apparent. Coastal erosion problems and "hazards" can be created when naturally dynamic coastal processes encounter static human development. So sensitive are natural balances that unforeseen problems can arise whenever humans interfere with marine and littoral systems. The Surfrider Foundation is resolved to work proactively along with local, state, and federal bodies as well as community constituencies - to promote conservation and responsible coastal areas management, which avoids creation of new coastal hazards or erosion problems. The Washington State Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation supports coastal research and science-based management of coastal resources to promote sustainable long-term planning and preservation of all beach/coastal environments, recognizing that every specific case situation must be evaluated in the context of its local setting. Beaches are often perceived as separate habitats, but in reality are small parts of much larger coastal ecosystems. These systems include watersheds, estuaries and wetlands, and nearshore marine environments. They are dynamic in nature, change on multiple temporal and spatial scales, and are therefore difficult to predict with certainty. The Surfrider Foundation advocates conservation actions to promote long-term beach preservation for the benefit of the public. Coastal areas that are free of development should be protected via proactive means that do not interrupt coastal processes. These include:
For the coast, Drew Kampion National Advisory Board Kevin Ranker National Board of Directors |
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