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Surfrider Chapter News MAKING WAVES, June/July 1998 |
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Puerto Rico Chapter An appellate court in Puerto Rico ruled in favor of Surfrider Foundation's Puerto Rico Chapter's challenge of the proposed "Wilderness" Development. The court determined in late 1997 that Puerto Rico EQB's president had acted on his own and the project proponents (Koenninger Development Inc.) still had to comply with the EQB's Examining Office request for hydrological and geological studies be conducted on the land. Puerto Rico Chapter members recently received the "new" Environmental Impact Statement (EIR) from the developer. In the EIR there is an appendix "hydrological study" which is only a computerized model. The study is a 3 inch thick volume of raw numbers generated by the consultants contracted by the developers. The developer still refuses to do a proper hydrological study and the Chapter feels that they are inclined to challenge it in court. The original letter of recommendation by the Water Authority gave the developer one year to complete this, that was more than two years ago. For the past three months, there has been a critical water shortage in the western region of the island which has prompted rationing. They are contacting the Water Authority to see how this affects their previous position. On a related note, the President of Puerto Rico's House of Representatives has proposed to amend Puerto Rico's "Environmental Protection Law". This in a way for all practical purposes, would eliminate citizens participation prior to the approval of Environmental Impact Statements (EIS). This bill would also strip the EQB's power in the process of approval of EIS's. This blatant attempt to bypass the public's right to comment on environmentally sensitive developments has created a wave of opposition by the public. Surfrider Foundation, community groups and other environmental organizations have formed a coalition in a very organized and broad front in order to challenge this affront to democratic procedure. New Jersey Chapter The New Jersey Chapter of Surfrider Foundation has been working hard to fight ocean pollution, open and defend access to your beaches and educate people on Surfrider Foundation's environmental mission. Besides doing all that work, they recently held their 5th Annual Longboard Classic Event. Darryl Hatheway a member of Surfrider Foundation's National Board of Directors and D.C. Chapter arrived just in time to surf a solid 4-ft swell at the Manasquan Inlet. In the lineup strains of 60's surf music could be heard as surfers, riding classic boards, took off on a warm and sunny day. On the beach, the crowd was stoked-They met new and old friends, checked out the 100+ classic boards, learned about the environmental issues the chapter is working on and were treated to the highest level of surfing since the running of the first contest five years ago. According to chapter event directors Paul Baymore and Tom O'Neil, the event brought out 68 contenders and included a first time junior division. Thanks to everyone who made this event great! San Diego Chapter As the El Nino storm season draws to a close and San Diego beach cities gear up for the summer tourism swell, Surfrider Foundation's San Diego Chapter is concerned about a proposed seawall. Along Highway 101 in Cardiff, beaches have been hard hit by the winter's high tides and storm surf. Both the North and South Cardiff State Beach parking lots were closed for most of the season. The North Parking lot known as Cardiff Reef, saw a large part of its entryway fall into the ocean. At the southern end, the Seaside parking lot was re-opened in April with all its facilities shut down, protective fencing limiting access to the surf, and rocks strewn about the parking lot and beach. With nearly all the sand gone in sections of the beach, points now only have narrow strips of stones and rock revetment to separate the surf and Hwy. 101. Needless to say, many people have been affected by the debilitated condition of this area. Recognizing the value of this stretch of coast to the local economy, the city of Encinitas has agreed to spend $100,000 to study alternative solutions for protecting the highway, restaurants, lagoon and beaches. The California Shore and Beach Associations have suggested either bolstering the existing revetment with additional rip-rap or building a seawall from the mouth of the San Elijo Lagoon to the south end of Cardiff State Beach at the entrance to Solana beach. These would be built with approximately $8 million in FEMA subsidies applied for by Encinitas when the area was declared a federal disaster area last winter. The city has argued that under FEMA guidelines, the funding would have to be used to protect the existing roadway, and could not be used for "beach protection" or a sand replenishment program. The San Diego Chapter of Surfrider Foundation opposes the construction of a seawall for scientific, aesthetic and beach access reasons. Surfrider Foundation has suggested that the study take into account other alternatives, such as redirecting the mouth of the lagoon and placing the road and railroad racks on bridges or trestles. Restoring the natural flushing of the estuary that existed before the 1885 construction of the Huntington Railroad berm would allow trapped sediment to reach the beaches where it belongs. Surfrider Foundation is urging the city of Encinitas to study the issue broadly and search for a scientifically supportable long term solution. Unless the public gets involved in the early stages, the likely result will be a band-aid instead of a cure. Outer Banks Chapter Surfrider Foundation's Outer Banks Chapter has long been a leader in the North Carolina environmental movement. They have accomplished and continue to do work towards keeping the Outer Banks' coastline healthy and pristine for all to enjoy. The following is just a small sampling of their most recent accomplishments.
The Surfrider Foundation is very proud of all the environmental and goodwill work our chapters accomplish. We feel honored to have such a fine group of people involved with the organization! Remember, next time you're at a chapter event or a meeting, thank them for all their efforts, its the least we can do. |
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