Heal the Bay Blog

With tax season upon us, it’s actually a good time to think inside the box. As April 15 approaches, ocean lovers throughout the state now have a chance to support their local beach when they file their returns.
 
By simply checking a box on your state tax return, you can make a one-time tax-deductible donation to the California Coastal Commission for any amount you choose.
 
Under the measure sponsored by Torrance-based Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi, your contributions will support the Whale Tail Grants Program, doing an ocean of good for underserved kids, ocean-related museum exhibits, habitat cleanups and restoration projects.

So look sharp, feet-draggers: You’ve got a month to pinch those pennies for the Pacific!

Ever dream about building a custom home along the Santa Monica Bay shoreline? Well, you soon may get the chance – thanks to the return of Heal the Bay’s Designer Sandcastle Competition! On Saturday, April 26, teams from across the Southland will roll up their sleeves – and pant-legs – to create some truly spectacular sand creations near the Santa Monica Pier. We are now soliciting entries from architectural firms, design shops, entertainment studios, production companies, civic groups, community associations and other organizations.

This special fundraising event is a great way to help support the work of Heal the Bay in protecting our local beaches and oceans, while helping foster morale and esprit d’corps in your company or organization. It’s also a great way to showcase your civic-mindedness and creativity to the general public, which will be invited to view the competition as part of Heal the Bay’s well-attended Earth Month Festival. The sandcastle square-off is the centerpiece of the festival activities near the Pier, which also include our largest beach cleanup of the year, theme events at our Santa Monica Pier Aquarium and a sustainable seafood cooking demonstration.

Space is limited, so please sign up your team today!

Not a card-carrying AIA member? No worries! Our Santa Monica Pier Aquarium and Time Warner Cable’s Connect A Million Minds initative are hosting a Family Sandcastle Competition at noon on the 26th. Anyone with an imagination, shovel and pail can enter. Check in at the Aquarium the morning of the competion!

Today’s Thank You Thursday shout-out goes to all of the amazing organizations that helped to make our Volunteer Party on Monday truly special.

Thank you Bodega Wine Bar for hosting the party again this year. We love the space, the food, and your friendly staff is the best!

We had some awesome raffle items donated this year! Our big ticket items came from ZJ Boarding House, which graciously gave an epic skate deck and two board and wetsuit rentals, along with YogaWorks, with a 6-month membership pass! We were able to reward winning volunteers with cool swag from Poseidon Paddle & Surf, El Porto Surfboards, District Skate Shop, and REI.

The Trapeze School of New York and Perfect Day Surf Camp gave certificates for unforgettable experiences for a couple lucky raffle winners. Thanks to all of our special eats sponsors, Locanda del Lago, Pizza Antica, Hamburger Habit, Pitfire Pizza and Baja Buds, who supplied redeemable gift certificates.

And thank you, Becker’s Bakery, for donating 100 of your star sugar cookies for our volunteers to decorate and enjoy. Our A-List volunteers got the star quality treatment, all thanks to a little help from our friends! Thank you to all of our sponsors for making the evening unforgettable.

More Information

• Draft EIR
• Health Impact Assessment
• Cost Benefit Analysis
• Sign up to stay informed

THE ISSUE

Many don’t realize it, but Santa Monica Bay may soon be opened up to oil drilling

The City of Hermosa Beach currently has a moratorium in place that prohibits oil drilling. After years of legal battles, a settlement was reached between E&B Natural Resources and the City of Hermosa Beach that could potentially allow the community to be opened up to oil drilling by putting the moratorium up for reconsideration. Hermosa Beach residents will vote next March on a ballot measure to allow slant-drilling into the Bay. E&B Natural Resources wants to erect an 87-foot drilling rig and up to 34 wells on a 1.3-acre plot in a residential neighborhood, extracting up to 8,000 barrels of oil each day by slant-drilling under the seafloor and surrounding beach communities.

If voters repeal the existing moratorium on drilling, the City would have to pay $3.5 million to E&B, and the company would pursue permitting for the proposed oil drilling operation. If voters uphold the moratorium, drilling would be barred. But the city would have to pay $17.5 million to E&B under a complex settlement brokered by past city councils.

THE PROBLEM

Oil drilling off Hermosa Beach poses significant environmental and economic risks throughout the Bay

An oil spill isn’t restricted to city limits. With nearly 50 million annual visits to Bay beaches and a coastal economy worth over $10 billion, a spill off Hermosa Beach would be a financial and ecologic nightmare for all of Los Angeles. As the Deepwater Horizon disaster showed, it can take years for local ecosystems, economies and psyches to recover from a spill.

Oil drilling off Hermosa Beach would jeopardize public health

With the project site in close proximity to schools, parks, businesses and popular beaches, public health impacts are a major concern. Approximately 49% of the City’s residents live within 1/2 mile of the drilling site. Drilling near homes and pipes placed along busy streets put residents and visitors at risk from explosions, toxic flares and air and noise pollution.

Oil drilling off Hermosa sets a dangerous precedent for further exploitation of our Bay

Thanks to the hard work of Heal the Bay and its partners, there are no oil drilling operations in the Bay. Lifting the moratorium and allowing drilling to proceed in Hermosa is like opening Pandora’s Box. Other oil and gas companies may be emboldened to pursue similar drilling projects, rolling back years of hard-fought coastal protections.

THE SOLUTION

Uphold the moratorium

Voters naturally worry about paying off an oil company $17.5 million because of a bad agreement negotiated in the past. But Hermosa Beach is financially sound and has more than $6.2 million already set aside to cover the settlement cost. It’s better to settle a bad debt now than mortgage the future health of our Bay for decades to come.

Advocate for policies to prevent future slant drilling along entire Los Angeles coast

Our policy staff is now documenting the history of oil drilling moratoriums in all Santa Monica Bay cities and assessing energy policies in bordering cities. We are also using our technical expertise to evaluate risks to the community and environment. Heal the Bay successfully fought to enact the current moratorium in 1995, but now seeks a regional approach to stop drilling.

Worried about the prospect of oil drilling in our Bay? Sign up to stay informed.