Surfrider Foundation, MAKING WAVES, December 2003

MAKING WAVES, December 2003 issue: Table of Contents

Texas Chapter
Surfrider Foundation's Texas Chapter has worked diligently for nearly five years to protect and preserve their coastline. In 2003, as part of their ongoing Texas Open Beaches Act Campaign, the chapter successfully stopped legislation that would have put an eight-year moratorium on enforcement of the Texas Open Beaches Act for illegal houses on the beach.

Oregon Chapter
Oregon Chapter activists successfully launched a grassroots-driven campaign to get the state of Oregon to implement a federally mandated water quality monitoring program. In 2003, the state hired two full-time staffers and hosted three public comment periods to gather input from the public about testing protocol. The Oregon Chapter network's water quality data indicates that more than two-thirds of our testing location's water is polluted at various times.

Surfrider Foundation National and HB/SB Chapter
Many of you will remember the major victory for clean water when Surfrider Foundation and our Huntington/Seal Beach Chapter successfully stopped the Orange County Sanitation District from securing an extension for their 301 (h) Waiver.

While we successfully ended the waiver, the second phase of the campaign is now in place. Rick Wilson, Chairman of the Laguna Beach Chapter and National staff member, has been appointed to an 18-member Blue Ribbon Advisory Panel convened by the National Water Research Institute.

The purpose of the panel is to: 1) review work in progress at the Orange County Sanitation District as they progress toward meeting full secondary treatment standards; 2) review ongoing operations and opportunities for optimizing existing facilities during the transition to full secondary treatment; and 3) identify research needs and assist OCSD in planning to fill knowledge gaps associated with reaching full secondary standards. The panel met in September and is preparing a report of recommendations. A second meeting is scheduled.

Jersey Shore Chapter
After a 30 year ban on the sport, the Jersey Shore Chapter was successful in bringing surfing back as a recreational sport and economic vehicle to the City of Asbury Park, NJ. Jersey Shore Chapter activists gathered over 1550 signatures to help in their efforts to lobby the Asbury Park City Council to pass a resolution allowing surfing on area beaches again. In conjunction with this victory, the chapter hosted the Asbury Park Surf Clinic at the new 7th Ave. Surfing Beach for inner-city kids, many of whom have never been to the beach in their very own community.

San Diego Chapter
In a victory for the Surfrider Foundation and our San Diego Chapter, a San Diego Superior Court Judge set aside the City of Solana Beach's approval of a shoreline armoring project. The proposed project consisted of 160 feet of shoreline armoring, including a notch fill, two sea cave plugs and the rehabilitation of six other sea cave plugs. Currently, there are over 1200 feet of shoreline armoring in the vicinity of the proposed project without any cumulative impact analysis on the coastline planned or completed. The chapter will continue with their ongoing campaign against long-term environmentally destructive coastal armoring.

Santa Barbara Chapter
In a stunning unanimous vote, the California Coastal Commission voted to reject Dos Pueblos Associates' proposal to construct a golf resort along the Gaviota coastline. The decision capped over a decade of grassroots effort by the Santa Barbara Chapter to stop the development of the Dos Pueblos Golf Links Project. This campaign exemplified the effectiveness of having well trained chapter activists and a solid membership base of supporters.

New York City Chapter
The NYC Chapter successfully implemented phase one of their anti-beach beach fill [renourishment] campaign in Long Beach, NY. Although the campaign is far from over, the chapter won an important victory by mobilizing people to attend and petition the Long Beach City Council and Army Corps of Engineers to conduct a study on the impact to recreational wave use. The Army Corps of Engineers is now creating a "Surfability" report of Long Beach, as well as other spots on Long Island, thanks to the NYC Chapter's activism on this issue.

South Bay Chapter
South Bay Chapter activists worked vigorously in their successful Palos Verdes Beach Assess Campaign. The chapter took action to highlight illegal actions in Palos Verdes to intimidate, hassle and occasionally assault non-local recreational beach users going down to the "Coves". The chapter was successful in working with the local Police Chief and City Council to pass a unique ordinance guaranteeing safe access for everyone.

Newport Beach Chapter
How do you raise awareness about water quality in Orange County, California? With a 20-foot billboard of course. The Newport Beach Chapter received the generous donation of a billboard, located at 1931 Newport Blvd in Costa Mesa. The billboard, which is located along this very popular roadway leading to area beaches, will be used over a three year period. The sign is part of the chapter's campaign to raise the awareness of water quality at our beaches and elevate the issue of urban runoff.

Surfrider Foundation National Headquarters hooked the chapter up with award winning copywriter Felipe Bascope and his art director Gerry Gomez at Spasmodic to create the billboard pro-bono. The billboard space was donated courtesy of long-time chapter member Mike Boudreaux and building owners, Ted Morse, Bob Scott, Bill Thomas and Dan Spletter at Morse-Boudreaux Architects and United Mechanical Consultants. The total in-kind donation for this project is valued at over $150,000.

South Florida Chapter
The South Florida Chapter, in conjunction with our San Diego Chapter joined forces for Clean Water Day. In September, the two chapters held simultaneous paddle outs on both coasts to raise awareness on the importance of healthy coastal waters. Under the direction of Surfrider Foundation activist, Kevin Dean, who heads the South Florida Chapter's University of Miami campus group, the event drew over 50 participants.

The South Florida Chapter was organized six years ago by Wyatt Porter-Brown and Tom Cook who were disturbed by the filthy condition of area beaches. The chapter now boasts a membership base of 150 activists, along with their campus affiliate group. They are continually working to recruit new activists to the chapter. Please contact them for more information about volunteer positions.

Charleston South Carolina
Surfrider Foundation's Charleston SC Chapter has a newly elected slate of officers and is once again increasing their outreach in the community after a brief period of reorganization. Among their many new activities, the chapter has adopted a section of beach know as the "Washout" in Folly Beach as part of the state's Adopt-a-Beach Program.

The chapter, along with their clean-up partners at Folly Surf Camp, will clean and maintain this stretch of beach.

The chapter is currently researching a campaign around the issue of Morris Island and and a proposed development there. Part of the research involves identifying possible coalition partners, which includes the Coastal Conservation League, Sierra Club and the local Civil War Re-enactors Club. Evidently, quite a few Confederate troops were killed on Morris Island and many believe it has historical significance that should be preserved.

The Surfrider Foundation is happy to welcome on board Chapter Chairman, Peter Beck, Vice Chair, William Carter, Secretary, Paul Smith, Treasurer, John Pharr, Beachscape Coordinator, Andrew Wunderly and Beach Clean up and Media Coordinator, Nancy Hussey. Long-time chapter activists, Bubber Hutto, who held the chapter together until these new leaders could be recruited will remain active in the chapter. Thanks Bubber for your dedication!

San Clemente Chapter
In October 2003, at the California Coastal Commission hearing in Coronado, the applicant/developer for the Dana Head-lands project pulled their plan at the last minute to avoid a denial from the commission. This project would have included the construction of a 2100' long 21' tall rock revetment along "Strands Beach" to support new construction, as well as the construction of a hotel on top of the Dana Headlands in environmentally sensitive habitat area (ESHA).This would be a blatant violation of the California Coastal Act, and would have set a dangerous precedent had it been approved.

The October report from staff was a blistering recommendation against the project. Unfortunately, politics and lobbying were hard at work, and the commission wanted to find a way to approve the project, but realized that the current conditions do not allow it.

The developer brought in several community groups he created to support the project (the Light House Society [which supports the creation of a faux light house on the headlands], the Arts Council [which would get a new facility on the headlands] and others, including the local VFW [which would get a home on the headlands] and even a local labor union given the promise of union jobs to build the project. Surfrider Foundation supporters were out in force with banners, stickers and posters.

The commission directed staff to work with the applicant to find ways to allow the project to proceed without violating the coastal act. Specifically, staff was asked to look into ways that the project could be built without a new revetment or major landform alteration and without damaging ESHA. The project is likely to be back in front of the commission in January. The chapter, with the support of the Surfrider Foundation National organization has made this campaign a top priority.

Washington DC Capitol Chapter
Welcome and congratulations to the newly elected officers of our Washington DC-Capitol Chapter; Chairman David Riordon, Vice Chair, Marquez Equilibria, Treasurer, Jacque Riordon, Secretary, Adam Mendizabal, Ed Eads, Volunteer Coordinator and Brian Parsons, Fundraising Coordinator. Some of them are long-time supporters and others have just stepped forward, but they all share a common goal of preserving and protecting our coastal resources. Leadership transition is an important component for any grassroots organization, and we're excited to see this step taking place. Thank you to Darryl Hatheway, past chairman for his years of volunteer service.

Ventura Chapter
Marking a major milestone in their Surfer's Point Campaign, the Ventura City Council voted unanimously in July 2003 to certify the Environmental Impact Report and hire a consultant for the final design of the "Surfers Point Managed Shoreline Retreat" Project. For a decade, the Surfrider Foundation's Ventura Chapter has successfully opposed many environmentally destructive short-term solutions to recurring erosion problems at Surfers Point. The city's Mayor acknowledged that the project continues to move forward due to the "tenacity and technical savvy of the Surfrider Foundation volunteers who have been part of the process for more than a decade". If all goes according to plan, upon completion, this project will be an example of progressive new shoreline management strategies.

Central Texas Chapter
"Erosion is a natural process. It only becomes a negative agent because of our belief that nature revolves around us, which it does not. We plant our pilings and driveways in the migrating sand, expecting the shoreline to stay put, and then holler 'beach erosion' when it does not."

Excerpt from an editorial titled, Isabel's Message: Back away from the beach by Richard Oppel, Editor of the Austin American-Statesman in Austin Texas.

Along with their fellow Texas Chapter members, the Central Texas Chapter has been involved in the ongoing Texas Open Beaches Act Campaign. A recent editorial in their local paper spoke of the long-term economic futility of defending the coast against Mother Nature. It was a great pro-managed retreat editorial and the chapter got two wonderful support letters printed as follow-ups to it. The chapter comments, "We are making progress—our local editor, Richard Oppel, has previously been on the wrong side of every environmental issue to date."

The Central Texas Chapter is making good headway in the state capitol on their campaign for enforcement of the Texas Open Beaches Act.

Malibu Chapter
The Malibu Chapter succeeded in a very important effort to ensure access to all the beaches in Malibu. Chapter activists worked vigorously with other environmental, civic organizations and Surfrider Foundation's Southern California Regional Manager to oversee and comment on the drafting of a Local Coastal Plan for the City of Malibu. While the final plan did not include all the elements necessary to ensure reasonable limits on development in the area, we were successful in defending against efforts to diminish the public's right of full access to our waves and beaches. Our coastline is a public trust resource and the chapter will continue to fight any threat to our constitutionally guaranteed right of access.

San Mateo County Chapter
Since 1998, the San Mateo County Chapter has successfully been implementing a Blue Water Task Force water-quality monitoring program in their community. Chapter member, Ellen Gartside, spearheaded the program as a way to do something about the very poor health of San Vicente Creek. The creek flows into the James V. Fitzgerald Marine Reserve in Moss Beach and was regularly posted with warning signs stating that the water was unfit for human contact. For the past four years, Surfrider Foundation volunteers have been trained by San Mateo County Health Services to collect water samples along the entire length of the creek. The county then analyzes the samples for bacterial contaminates and works in coalition with the chapter and local land owners to identify the sources. Through the chapter's efforts the county has been highly successful in locating and removing much of the sources of contamination, such as leaking septic systems. Non-point sources have been more difficult to locate but changes in local watershed management practices have dramatically reduced the amount of bacteria in San Vicente Creek. The creek is now markedly cleaner and warning signs posted to the public appear less frequently.

What has emerged from the San Mateo County Chapters efforts is not only a clearer creek, but a partnership between the Surfrider Foundation, San Mateo County Health Services and local land owners (ranchers, stable operators and land trusts). The chapter is very proud of their collaborative clean-up efforts and hope to extend them to improve the health of other contaminated creeks on the coastside.

The chapter and the county now monitor 34 sites for water quality from Pacifica to Pescadero. Largely because of their successful collaboration with the Surfrider Foundation, San Mateo County Health Services was awarded with a $250,000 grant by the State Water Resources Control Board to study Gazos and Pilarcitos Creeks. In addition, through the support of the Sewer Authority Midcoast and others, the chapter is establishing their own water-quality testing facility to supplement their current testing program.

Northern New England Chapter
Surfrider Foundation's Northern New England chapter covers the coastlines of Maine and New Hampshire. Since organizing the chapter two years ago, they have formed partnerships with the State of Maine, several coastal city governments, and the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve to expand water quality testing along the southern Maine coast. The water quality project is funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and led by the Maine State Planning Office and Coastal Program through their Healthy Coastal Beaches Campaign.

The town of Kennebunkport formerly allowed direct discharge of sewage during winter months, only treating the sewage in the summer months. Numerous surfers and fishermen complained of ear, nose and throat infections during the winter months. The Northern New England Chapter brought the issue to the attention of Kennebunkport and the Maine DEP, and there has now been preliminary approval to treat the sewage throughout the year.

Additionally, the chapter working with Maine's Shore Stewards Program has organized the installation of dog waste clean-up stations at Kennebunk, Scarborough and York, along with regular beach clean ups. Thousands of cigarette butts, along with over 250 pounds of trash were picked up off the beaches.

"We want people to see not only that the chapter exists, but also that surfers are a highly concerned group when it comes to the health of waves and beaches," explained John Fahery, Chairman of the Northern New England Chapter (NNEC).