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Heal the Bay Blog

Category: Los Angeles Stormwater

Storm Response Cleanups – Joining Our Last Line of Defense

01.03.2024 |

Los Angeles StormwaterPlastic PollutionPolystyrene

Storm drains dump untreated, unsafe water on our beaches – Heal the Bay’s Storm Response Team gives you the safety guidelines to get out a cleanup and stop the trash before it reaches our marine life neighbors at the coastline.

UPDATE 11/14/2024

2024 RECAP 

Los Angeles saw extreme weather swings in 2024. Early on, the 2023-2024 water year brought record-breaking rainfall, making it the second wettest in history. These intense storms refilled reservoirs and led to severe flooding and runoff, stressing the need to protect our coastlines. The Storm Response Team is rallying our community to help by clearing debris from streets, sidewalks, and public spaces while the weather stays manageable. Together, we can start 2025 with safer, cleaner shores! 

Ready to take the next step? Complete the virtual training to be added to
Heal the Bay’s Storm Response Team.

Watch the Training Video

Stay safe and follow our extended self-guided cleanup safety tips for post-storm and atmospheric river conditions.

DOWNLOAD Our Self-Guided Cleanup Tips

JOIN THE STORM RESPONSE TEAM

STORMS AND EXTREME HIGH TIDES 

California’s coastline has also been experiencing powerful King Tides—exceptionally high tides that occur when the sun, moon, and Earth align. These events push debris back onto our shores, adding to the pollution challenge. Learn more about this winter’s King Tides (which occurred on November 15–17 and will occur on December 13–15).

The combination of heavy rainfall and King Tides creates unique challenges. Storm drains carry inland pollution to the ocean, while big waves bring ocean debris back to the shore. So, we invite you to join Heal the Bay and our Storm Response Team to help keep our beaches and marine environments clean and safe. 

DRIER CONDITIONS KICK OFF “WET” SEASON 

After a dramatic winter, the weather quieted down mid-year, but the start of the 2024-2025 season has been exceptionally dry. October recorded no rainfall, well below the 0.55-inch norm, raising concerns about pollution when the rains return. Now, let’s address this buildup to minimize its impact on our watersheds and coastlines. 

UPDATE 1/3/2023

The first storms of 2024 have brought 0.25-0.5 inches of rain to the Los Angeles Area Basin, which amounts to over 1 inch of rain in some areas over the past seven days, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s California and Nevada River Forecast Center. As part of the Storm Response Team, we ask you to join us in protecting our ocean from inland plastic pollution by removing debris from gutters, sidewalks, and hiking trails while the weather stays dry.

Ready to take the next step? Complete the virtual training to be added to
Heal the Bay’s Storm Response Team.

Watch the Training Video

Stay safe and follow our extended self-guided cleanup safety tips for post-storm and atmospheric river conditions.

DOWNLOAD Our Self-Guided Cleanup Tips

STORMS AND SUPER WAVES

The California coast has also been experiencing extremely high surf conditions due to a phenomenon called King Tides. According to the California Coastal Commission, the term “King Tide” is used to describe very high tides, caused by the combined gravitational pull when the sun, moon, and Earth are fully aligned with one another. The next King Tides will be on January 11-12, 2024. If helping eliminate marine debris isn’t enough community action for you, we encourage you to take part in the California King Tides Project by taking and sharing pictures of high tide events to help record how our coastline is changing in the face of sea level rise.

The combined effect of heavy rain and dangerously high tides is a very powerful combination, with storms washing all manner of debris down storm drains, through our watershed, and big waves bringing trash from the ocean back to the shore. Our local coastal environment could use our help. Join Heal the Bay and the Storm Response team in ensuring Los Angles starts the new year with safe and clean coastlines!

Then join us for our first Nothin’ But Sand Cleanup of 2024 on Saturday, January 20. 2024 and help make an even bigger impact alongside other environmental activists and beach lovers. RSVP to reserve a bucket. 

UPDATE 11/15/2023

The slow-moving Pacific Storm making its way through Los Angeles County is expected to bring 1-2 inches of rain from Wednesday to Saturday. This first flush of the season will send more than 20 billion gallons of water rushing through the city bringing accumulated debris from our gutters, storm drains, and waterways out to the beach.

Please join the Heal the Bay Storm Response Team to protect our coastal waters this rainy season.

Ready to take the next step? Complete the virtual training to be added to
Heal the Bay’s Storm Response Team.

Watch the Training Video

Stay safe and follow our extended self-guided cleanup safety tips for post-storm and atmospheric river conditions.

DOWNLOAD Our Self-Guided Cleanup Tips

EACH TIME IT RAINS, the Los Angeles storm drain system rushes untreated water and all the debris that litters our streets, gutters, and sidewalks right into our beaches and coastline. Cleaning up the mess made by these trash-freeways in our community calls for the help of our trusty Storm Response Team! Made up of Heal the Bay staff and dedicated volunteers, the Storm Response Team acts as the last line of defense, removing garbage washed out of the storm drain system and local waterways before it reaches the ocean. Interested in conducting your own Storm Response Team deployment? Please remember to stay safe and follow our extended self-guided cleanup safety tips for post-storm and atmospheric river conditions. 

📄 Download: Self-Guided Cleanup Tips – Storm Response and Atmospheric River Conditions

When the call goes out, the Team puts on their rubber boots, gloves, and raincoats and goes out during low tide or during a break in the rain to local catch basins and outfalls, gathering as much trash as they can. Pollution and litter upstream are swept through the system and, while the Heal the Bay team attempts to get out there quickly, a barrage of atmospheric rivers dousing our southland can make it extremely difficult to stave the flow of trash, debris, and unsafe particulates. We are encouraged by the volunteers who have reached out about helping to do individual clean ups, but we must warn that it is a filthy job and volunteers should proceed with caution.  

Heal the Bay is constantly advocating for upstream solutions that would stop the flow of pollution into our local waterways and prevent the need for storm response teams in the future. Reducing single-use plastics and polystyrene, the technical term for products commonly referred to as styrofoam, has a significant impact on reducing the amount of trash that reaches our oceans.   

Heal the Bay also supports efforts to collect, treat, and use stormwater. Measure W, passed in 2018, provides funding for local stormwater capture, treatment, and reuse projects. These efforts will drastically reduce our reliance on imported water, reduce pollution in our local waterways and coastal waters, and reduce risks to public health.  

👉 Get caught up: Learn more about Heal the Bay’s efforts in getting Measure W passed and it’s implementation. 

Tips for all Angelenos during #LARain: 

  • Stay out of the water. The County of Los Angeles Environmental Health Department and Heal the Bay urge residents and visitors to avoid water contact at Los Angeles County beaches for at least 72 hours following rain event. Check our Beach Report Card website or app before your next swim along the coast. 
  • Avoid low-lying areas and stay up to date on all local weather alerts 
  • Know the flow. Test your water knowledge, and share insights about rainwater runoff and where Los Angeles gets its water in your community. 

ACTION LINK(S)

DOWNLOAD STORM CLEANUP SAFETY TIPS

JOIN THE STORM RESPONSE TEAM

SUPPORT OUR WORK

Written by Stephanie Gebhardt. As our Beach Programs Manager, Stephanie organizes Heal the Bay’s beach cleanups and community beautification projects. With experience in sustainability consulting and science communication, she unites Angelenos in protecting what they love.

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When the Rain Comes, the Ocean Needs Our Help

12.15.2021 |

Los AngelesLos Angeles StormwaterWater Quality

Our winters bring increased rainfall in the Los Angeles region. During this season, when many don’t usually flock to the beach like during warmer months, our Storm Response Team is our ocean’s first responder after major rain events. 

Winter Storms in LA

The biggest storm of the 2021-2022 winter season, as of yet, arrived in Southern California on Tuesday, December 14, 2021. “As far as intensity, it’s one of our stronger storms,” Kristan Lund, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said in the LA Times. “It’s definitely the strongest we’ve seen so far, and potentially one of the stronger ones we’ll see this season.”

While we desperately need the rain to quench our ecosystems, unfortunately it comes with a wave of trash. 

Stormwater is the major source of pollution for rivers, lakes, and ocean in Los Angeles County, California. The first flush from a major rain event brings a flood of water, toxins, debris, and trash from our streets straight onto our beaches through the storm drain system. The untreated runoff eventually dumps pollution onto local shorelines. This waste poses a significant risk for wildlife and marine life who can ingest trash or get entangled, and also for the health of our communities who can get sick from bacteria-polluted water.

Our local waters need your help combating marine debris after every big storm in LA during the winter.

Take Part in a Self-Guided Cleanup

Gather friends and family or go solo to take part in a storm response cleanup by spending 30 minutes to an hour cleaning up around your neighborhood or local outdoor space. Remember, trash removed from a street or park means that less waste will make its way through the storm drain system, onto our beaches, and then out to sea.

In addition to doing a cleanup near you, take a look at the map above and target these beach sites today or this week. Highlighted areas are near storm drain outfalls and usually have the most trash after it rains—so this is where you can make the biggest impact. 

Join the Storm Response Team

The rain is coming, are you ready to answer the call?

This won’t be LA’s last storm. Heal the Bay needs more volunteers to join our Storm Response Team for the rainy season to help remove trash, track data, and document photos. If you’re interested in joining our dedicated Storm Response Team to be the ocean’s first responder after #LARain, sign up to receive alerts about volunteer opportunities! 

Join the Storm Response Team

Already a Storm Response Team Member?

Keep an eye on your email inbox. About 24-hours after each rainfall has ended the Storm Response Team leader will email an alert with the location of the next cleanup. When the storm rolls in, collect your gear and get ready to answer the call! If you need a refresher on how to prepare, what to bring, and how to safely take part, review the most critical storm response information.

Critical Storm Response Information

 

Thanks for Being the Ocean’s First Responder

Whether you joined the Storm Response Team, are in the process of learning more about the issue, or are leading a cleanup of your own soon, THANK YOU!

Share your efforts on social media and encourage friends, family, and your network to get involved by tagging your finds with @healthebay and #healthebay.

 If you have questions about our Storm Response Team, please reach out to Emely Garcia.

 

Special thanks to our sponsor!

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Inell Woods Park Open House Event

10.04.2021 |

EventsLos Angeles Stormwater

Come learn more about the future Inell Woods Park. We’re co-hosting an Open House there with the City of Los Angeles on Saturday, October 16 at 11 am to 1 pm. You are invited (see flyer below for details)!

Heal the Bay is committed to improving water quality in Los Angeles County’s watersheds through the creation of more green space. In addition to providing recreation areas and wildlife habitat, green spaces can function as essential multi-benefit stormwater solutions too. They improve local water quality, increase water reuse and supply, reduce carbon, and mitigate heat island effect. 

This is why we are so excited to tell you about Inell Woods Park, Heal the Bay’s innovative stormwater park project near the intersection of McKinley Avenue and E 87th Place in South LA. Our work to build the park is being done in collaboration with LA City Councilmember Curren Price, North East Trees, California State Parks, and many local community members.

Inell Woods Park is a good example of how the Safe Clean Water Program aims to increase local water supply, improve water quality, and protect public health by focusing efforts on multi-benefit projects in communities that have been identified as severely disadvantaged with regards to access to green space and other socioeconomic factors. Multi-benefit projects are the most efficient and effective use of our taxpayer dollars because they are cost-conscious solutions that serve both community and environmental needs.

Inell Woods Park Stormwater Benefits

Inell Woods Park Green Space Features

  • Greenways
  • Walking track
  • Tot lot
  • Native plant gardens
  • Exercise equipment
  • Sitting areas

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9 Water Quality Deadlines Extended: When Will LA Finally Get Clean and Safe Water?

09.15.2021 |

Los Angeles StormwaterWater Quality

The Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board chose to delay clean water progress by extending the deadlines polluters have to reduce their stormwater pollution, up to 6.5 years in some cases. Their decision allows the continued discharge of pollutants from across LA to drain through our communities and into the Pacific Ocean.

UPDATE 9/30/2021

On September 21, 2021, the State Water Resources Control Board approved the LA Regional Water Board’s extensions for nine water quality deadlines ranging from 1.5-6.5 years, allowing for the continued discharge of pollutants from across LA to drain through our communities and into the Pacific Ocean.

This decision was made without evidence of good faith efforts towards achieving the requirements, without justifying the need for those extensions, and without putting in place sufficient oversight requirements to ensure progress is made. This is a terrible precedent to set considering how important these deadlines are.

However, comments from Heal the Bay along with our partners at LA Waterkeeper in opposition to these deadline extensions, did at least give pause to Board Members before their final decision. During Board deliberations, the lack of progress (only 6% complete) was highlighted, the need for accountability was raised, and a clear statement was made that the COVID-19 pandemic is not a reason to weaken water quality standards (which would further threaten public health). Board members also stated that this approval does not mean that deadlines can be delayed indefinitely.

If permittees return to once again request extensions, we will remind the State Board members of these declarations. Together we can Take LA By Storm to keep permittees accountable to these new deadlines and to their Clean Water Act requirements. Sign up for emails to stay informed, receive implementation updated, and find out how you can engage in the process!

SIGN UP FOR UPDATES

UPDATE 9/15/2021

During the February hearing on TMDL deadline extensions, the LA Regional Water Board voted to approve extensions for nine TMDLs ranging from 1.5-6.5 years, allowing for the continued discharge of pollutants from across LA to drain through our communities and into the Pacific Ocean. But this decision must be approved by the State Water Resources Control Board before it is made official.

On March 11, 2021 the LA Regional Water Board voted to extend nine water quality deadlines, which were set decades ago to improve water quality and protect the health of our communities and our ecosystems. This sends a dangerous message that it is ok to continue contaminating our neighborhoods, rivers, and ocean even after long-standing deadlines have passed us by.

The Clean Water Act of 1972 protects our rivers and oceans by limiting the amount of pollution that can be discharged into them. Under the Clean Water Act, a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) refers to the maximum amount of pollution that a waterbody can handle before people get sick or aquatic life is harmed. Environmental groups fought hard to make the Regional Water Boards start paying attention to TMDLs starting in the 1990s. 

There are 59 TMDLs in the Los Angeles Region for various contaminants (trash, bacteria, etc) polluting our rivers, lakes, and coastal waters. Some have deadlines as late as 2038, so there is still time to meet those limits. Others are due this year, and some have already passed. These TMDL deadlines were set decades ago with lengthy timelines that gave dischargers (called “permittees”) many years, in some cases nearly 20 years, to achieve these pollution limits. The deadlines were developed through extensive negotiations with all stakeholders. Heal the Bay and concerned community members from all over the County showed up at Regional Water Board hearings to demand pollution limits and clean water. At that time, we celebrated these TMDLs and believed our regulators would finally hold polluters accountable for meeting them.

Unfortunately, permittees are far behind schedule in reducing polluted discharges, as Heal the Bay reported back in 2019 in our Stormwater Report. Last year, the LA Regional Water Board confirmed this trend of very slow progress, reporting that only 6.6% of required pollution reduction projects were completed in the areas that received deadline extensions. The lack of measurability and accountability within the Stormwater Permit allowed this slow progress to go unnoticed for years. When it was finally daylighted, the LA Regional Water Board did nothing to correct it. 

As a result, there are several TMDLs with imminent deadlines that will not be met, and others that are well past due. Because of the extremely slow progress over the last 20 years, permittees are complaining that these ~20-year deadlines are now unrealistic, and have requested 10+ years of extra time! It seems they feel no urgency to clean up our community’s waterways.

Meanwhile, water quality suffers. You can see that by checking California’s List of Impaired Waters, where 208 waterbodies in the LA Region are listed as polluted by multiple contaminants. You can see it in UCLA’s 2019 Water Report Card, which assigned LA surface waters a dismal grade of D/Incomplete. You can see it in Heal the Bay’s River Report Card when bacteria still plagues our rivers even during dry weather, and in our Beach Report Card when grades across the board plummet during wet weather. There are other reports that tell a similar story, and we have yet to see any report that tells a different one. LA’s water is contaminated, stormwater is the primary source of that pollution, and no one is being held accountable for cleaning it up.

The recent hearing on TMDL deadline extensions was contentious. After much discussion, three of the seven Board Members voted to provide the 10 year extensions requested by permittees. But the majority of Board Members favored shorter extensions, and spoke powerfully in favor of clean water protection and environmental justice. In the end, they voted to approve extensions for nine TMDLs ranging from 1.5-6.5 years, rather than 10 or more years. While any extension delays progress towards achieving clean water, shorter extensions at least reign in further delays to achieving clean water.

Four of the Board Members also asked for better accountability from permittees, so we don’t end up right back here two decades from now, with poor water quality, wishing more had been done. Clear accountability can only be achieved through a strong Stormwater Permit. Unfortunately, our analysis of the Stormwater Permit clearly shows that the kind of accountability requested by the Board Members does not currently exist. 

One bright spot: the Stormwater Permit is up for renewal later this year, meaning we have a chance to make it better. We are asking Regional Water Board staff and Board Members to support clear, numeric pollution limits so we can hold permittees accountable to actually meet the new deadlines, because everyone in LA County deserves safe, clean water. 

Together we can Take LA By Storm to demand clear, measurable, and enforceable goals in the 2021 MS4 Permit. Sign up for emails to stay informed of the process and how you can take part!

SIGN UP FOR EMAILS

Learn more:

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LA Regional Water Board Votes to Allow Continued Degradation of Waterways

07.30.2021 |

Los Angeles StormwaterSanta Monica BayTake ActionWater Quality

The Los Angeles Regional Board has neglected their mission – to protect and enhance our water resources – by making polluting easier for dischargers rather than requiring action. The job of holding polluters accountable will once again fall on us.

GET UPDATES AND ACTION ALERTS

The discharge of polluted stormwater in Los Angeles is regulated by the LA Regional Water Quality Control Board through the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Permit. The Regional Board had an opportunity this month to improve the MS4 Permit during its decadal update, but in a disappointing decision the Board instead greenlit the continued degradation of waterbodies in our communities by adopting a MS4 Permit with the same loopholes as the ineffective 2012 Permit. This decision continues a pattern of insufficient accountability for stormwater dischargers and will only further delay progress, resulting in stagnant or even declining surface water quality. 

Permittees asked for a weaker permit with fewer requirements and a longer timeframe

The four-day hearing (see our Twitter updates) began with testimony from public officials who once again lamented their limited access to competitive funding sources for stormwater projects. Elected officials represent cities, which are permittees under the MS4 Permit. They are not community voices – they are the voice of the dischargers asking for a weaker permit with fewer requirements and a longer timeframe. 

We understand that completing projects is difficult, particularly for cities with smaller budgets. However, the MS4 Permit has been around for 30 years, and we have yet to see a significant reduction in stormwater pollution. We cannot afford to wait another 30 years before we start to see improvements. Luckily, there are funding opportunities available right now through local, state, and even federal programs. Additional resources include opportunities for collaboration between the cities, supplemental work from non-profits and community groups looking to build projects in their neighborhoods, support from Regional Board staff, and information from LA County’s WHAM Taskforce and Watershed Coordinators who are all assigned to identify and leverage funding sources.  

Most importantly, the benefits of compliance far outweigh the costs. Achieving clean water is not just a respectable goal, but a federally mandated law to protect communities and ecosystems from polluted water. Unfortunately, water quality has stagnated, even gotten worse in some areas, as our City and County governments have fallen behind schedule. Yet, there are no penalties for their inaction. 

Members of the public asked for clean water, better regulation, and more transparency

The Board also heard from dozens of community members asking for clean water, better regulation of stormwater pollution, and more transparency in the regulatory process. We heard from Eva Pagaling, whose tribes (Samala Chumash and Yakama) have historically gathered materials, medicines, and food in the Santa Clara River watershed and coastline. Eva reminded us that these tribes shoulder the burden of MS4 pollution, and urged the Regional Board to hold accountable those responsible for polluted discharges. We heard from Itzel Flores Castillo Wang, a community member and organizer from Boyle Heights in East LA, supporting a transparent permit that holds permittees accountable to implement multi-benefit and nature-based projects where they are needed most. We heard from so many folks demanding action now, in the form of a SMMART Permit that holds polluters accountable and that allows the public to follow progress and engage in the process. 

Heal the Bay gave a presentation alongside partners at LA Waterkeeper and the Natural Resources Defense Council outlining the strengths and flaws of the proposed 2021 Regional MS4 Permit. We supported the watershed approach because water flows throughout watershed boundaries; therefore, the approach to reducing pollution must be watershed-wide without stopping at city limits. The optional watershed management program within the permit framework allows for that watershed approach. However, we did not support the “deemed in compliance” language (also known as the “safe harbor”), which shields polluters from enforcement. A SMMART permit can invest in our communities through multi-benefit projects, but only if it is actionable, with enforceable deadlines so that those benefits can become a reality in our communities and not just a hope for the future. 

“The small list of projects presented by permittees are happening because there are TMDLs with deadlines and consequences built in. There is no justification for maintaining the safe harbors in this permit. Board staff has already allowed plenty of flexibility…” – Dr. Shelley Luce. 

The Water Board is supposed to preserve and enhance water quality for present and future generations; instead, they chose to excuse permittees, once again, for their lack of action. 

The Regional Board voted to allow continued degradation of our waterways

As final deliberations began on July 23, it became apparent that Board members were more concerned about the complaints of the permittees than about the demands of community members. Some Board members went even further to bow to dischargers by proposing motions to extend deadlines (which thankfully failed, but with a narrow 4-3 vote against) and completely remove numeric water quality requirements (which failed with a 5-2 vote against). Finally, the Board voted to approve a 2021 Regional MS4 Permit that includes the same safe harbors that made the 2012 MS4 Permit so ineffective, even after dozens of community members asked them directly for clean water and more accountability. 

Some improvements were made to increase transparency, including a final direction to Regional Board staff to create a single online portal for all annual reports; however, without even the possibility of enforcement by the Board, there is no accountability for polluters. 

It is up to all of us to Take LA by Storm and push for progress together

One board member claimed that “the safe harbors are an expression of trust and confidence in permittees.” But knowing the permittee’s record of inaction, we do not share that trust. By keeping the safe harbors, the Board has effectively decided not to enforce this critical permit. So now, the job of holding permittees accountable will once again fall on us, the concerned residents and nonprofit groups of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. We can take inspiration from Margaret Mead and know that, together, our actions can make a difference. 

Sign up to Take LA by Storm to receive updates as the permittees submit their semi-annual reports. We will continue to search for ways to hold polluters accountable while we track progress. If implementation continues to lag, we will demand action together. 

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Taking LA By Storm: Reducing Stormwater Pollution and Advocating for Clean, Equitable Water

06.28.2021 |

EventsLos Angeles StormwaterWater Quality

The Los Angeles Regional Board has neglected their mission – to protect and enhance our water resources – by making polluting easier for stormwater dischargers rather than requiring action. It’s time to remind them of their responsibility to regulate stormwater pollution and protect LA communities. Register for our Stormwater Advocacy Training on Wednesday, June 30 at 6PM.

Under the Clean Water Act (CWA), pollution runoff into surface waters like rivers, lakes, and oceans must be reduced to protect both public and environmental health. Although the CWA is federal law, most of the work to implement and enforce this law is delegated to local agencies. In the Los Angeles area, this work falls to the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board (Regional Board).

The discharge of polluted stormwater in Los Angeles is regulated by the Regional Board through the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Permit. Cities and Counties are permittees under the MS4 Permit, and are responsible for their polluted stormwater runoff. This MS4 Permit has the potential to be incredibly impactful when it comes to reducing water pollution in LA because it not only addresses the main source (stormwater), but it also covers a total of 99 permittees – the Counties of LA and Ventura, LA County Flood Control District, Ventura County Watershed Protection District, and the 95 cities that fall within the boundaries of the LA Regional Board.


Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board jurisdictional boundaries.

The MS4 permit is updated every five years; however, the last permit was approved in 2012 so we are already four years behind schedule. And unfortunately, loopholes in the 2012 MS4 Permit actually allowed for degradation of our water resources over the past decade, rather than requiring the reduction of stormwater pollution, as it should have done. Leniency in the permit allowed for unacceptably slow implementation of stormwater plans, which means that surface water quality is not good in Los Angeles, it has not improved since 2012, and it has even gotten worse in some areas. This continued discharge of polluted stormwater has also not been properly enforced, providing little incentive for permittees to do better.  

Everyone deserves safe and clean water, and a healthy environment to live in. It is the job of the Regional Board to preserve and enhance water quality in the Los Angeles Region for the benefit of present and future generations by implementing and enforcing the CWA. However, the Regional Board failed to uphold this important mission when they adopted the ineffective 2012 MS4 Permit, and more recently when they authorized multiple water quality deadline extensions.

It appears that some members of the regional board are more concerned with making compliance easier for the permittees, regardless of what that means for water quality and community health. We know that addressing stormwater pollution is no easy task. It takes significant funding and time to build projects; but even so, much more could have been done over the past 30 years. We cannot afford to allow another 30 years to pass before we start to see better water quality. We need the Regional Board to do their job to protect our waters. We are urging them to adopt a new MS4 Permit that is straightforward, measurable, multi-benefit, actionable, reinvesting in communities, and transparent – a SMMART Permit! That is the type of permit that nearly 30 community based organizations and environmental groups asked for last December when the draft permit was released. Unfortunately, the current draft of the permit mirrors that ineffective 2012 MS4 Permit, which does not satisfy these important SMMART criteria.

The good news is that Los Angeles does have the necessary tools to make great strides in reducing stormwater pollution. Cities and Counties have had over 30 years to make and adjust stormwater plans, and, even with the budget crisis brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, there are many opportunities for project funding through local programs, state funding, and even federal funding with the new Water Infrastructure Act. The tools are available, but we need a SMMART MS4 Permit that will urge cities to pick up those tools and do something amazing with them. 


Examples of multi-benefit and nature-based stormwater capture projects that can reduce stormwater pollution while also providing many other community and ecosystem investments such as recreational opportunities, climate resiliency, or new habitat open space.

The  MS4 Permit must reflect the needs and priorities of our communities. That’s why we need YOU! If you did not have a chance to sing up to speak before the July 1 deadline, send your written statement to Annelisa Moe by 12:00 PM on Thursday 7/8 to have your statement read into the record for you by a Heal the Bay staff member.

SEND IN YOUR STATEMENT

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Reflecting & Learning: Environmental Policy Woes in 2020

01.12.2021 |

Los AngelesLos Angeles StormwaterPalos Verdes PeninsulaPlastic Pollution

heal the bay environmental policy woes 2020

Failure is not defeat when we hold ourselves accountable, learn, improve, and move forward together. Our Science and Policy team highlights some environmental policy woes in Part 2 below, and in Part 1 we reflect on wins from the past year. 

In a year like 2020, it is worth the time to celebrate our environmental policy wins. But it may be even more important to recognize our woes, setbacks, and challenges. Failure is a part of life, and it may be painful at times, but it does not mean defeat. It is an opportunity to learn, to grow, and to find ways to improve our work moving forward. Let’s reflect on three of our 2020 environmental policy woes, and set some new goals for 2021. 

California Environmental Legislation

It was a challenging year in the CA legislature. With critical COVID-19 relief bills understandably taking priority, many environmental bills that were expected to pass this year did not make it through. One major loss was Senate Bill 54 and Assembly Bill 1080, twin bills also known as the California Circular Economy and Plastic Pollution Reduction Act, which would have set a goal of reducing single-use plastic waste by 75% by 2030. Following heavy and expensive lobbying campaigns from the plastics industry, these bills narrowly missed passing on the final day of the legislative season in August. 

While this was a devastating blow, there were also wins in plastic pollution reduction policy this year. Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill 793 into law, making California the first state in the country to set minimum levels for recycled content in beverage containers. California residents also got the Plastics Free California Initiative on the 2022 ballot. If it passes, this initiative would be the most comprehensive plastic pollution reduction policy in the nation. Heal the Bay is not giving up the fight and we are ready to push for strong plastics legislation in the coming year. Sign up to learn more on this from Reusable LA. 

Offshore DDT Dumping

The recent discovery (as reported by the LA Times) of a very large number of dumped barrels of DDT off the coast of Los Angeles was a shock to us and many others who have been working on issues surrounding DDT contamination for over 30 years. We knew about the other large site contaminated by DDT and PCBs on the Palos Verde Shelf, but this new discovery of a potentially similar sized underwater DDT dump was devastating, to say the least. The news left us with many questions. Who is responsible and how can we hold corporate polluters accountable? What is the impact to marine ecosystems and human health? Can this pollution be cleaned up? 

Heal the Bay is currently meeting with elected officials, government agencies, and partners to push for increased scientific understanding of the problem, increased education and outreach particularly to communities at risk from contaminated fish, and increased accountability and transparency. 

Stormwater Regulation with the MS4 Permit

The Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Permit regulates stormwater pollution. The LA County MS4 Permit has been around since 1990, and yet stormwater is still the leading source of water pollution. The lack of accountability in the last MS4 Permit has allowed permittees to fall woefully behind schedule in reducing this pollution. Although renewal of this critical MS4 Permit is already 3 years behind schedule, adoption was again delayed until 2021. Unfortunately, permittees have dominated this process, demanding a weaker permit at the expense of our surface water quality, and so far the Los Angeles Regional Water Board has been receptive to their grumbles.

Heal the Bay’s Take LA by Storm campaign launched this year to provide support for new advocates to engage in this permit process, too. Voices from respected NGOs across LA County attended the Regional Board’s October MS4 Workshop; and in December, 34 NGOs and 19 individual community members weighed in through written comments. We are starting to shift the narrative as the Board hears from communities, but there is still a lot to do before permit adoption in summer 2021.

Heal the Bay will continue to advocate for a strong permit and provide better support to LA communities. Sign up to Take LA by Storm, and together we can hold permittees accountable and reduce stormwater pollution.

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Making Progress: Environmental Policy Wins in 2020

01.12.2021 |

CaliforniaLos AngelesLos Angeles Stormwater

heal the bay environmental policy wins 2020

2020 was a long and difficult year. At times it felt like we were going backwards. In this 2-part series, our Science and Policy team highlights some forward-moving progress and setbacks on the environmental policy front in California. We review our wins in Part 1 below, and in Part 2 we reflect on policies woes from the past year. 

2020 was tough. Systemic racism and environmental injustices continue to disproportionately impact BIPOC communities. More prevalent media coverage has elevated this painful reality, and as a nation, as organizations, and as individuals, many of us have challenged ourselves to do better. Despite this awakening, injustices remain, the climate crisis is escalating, and we’re struggling to maintain our day-to-day lives in the face of a new global public health pandemic with the spread of COVID-19. 

Even as these crises rage on, the wheels of government keep turning to address ongoing environmental issues, and Heal the Bay’s Science and Policy team has done its best to keep up. Let’s take a few minutes to highlight three environmental policy wins from 2020.  

Statewide Toxicity Provisions

After nearly two decades, the State Water Board adopted Toxicity Provisions in December, establishing an approach using Whole Effluent Toxicity (the collective adverse effect on aquatic life from all pollutants contained in wastewater) as a numeric limit with a clear pass/fail result. Toxicity testing provides an important back-stop to detect harmful conditions caused by chemicals and chemical mixtures that aren’t otherwise tested like new pesticides, household chemicals, pharmaceuticals, etc. 

Heal the Bay has been waiting for this since 2003. We even released a report in 2009 on the impacts of not including numeric toxicity limits in permits. In 2014, our Los Angeles Regional Board took a prudent step forward by adopting the use of numeric toxicity limits in local permits, creating momentum for the State Board to follow suit. We’re excited to finally see the adoption of these Provisions, though we did make a few concessions over the years. For example, these Provisions apply only to non-stormwater permits; however, thanks to our advocacy work alongside our partners at the California Coastkeeper Alliance, the State Board committed to starting on stormwater toxicity requirements next. 

Biological Objectives

The San Diego Regional Water Board became the first region in CA to adopt Biological Objectives for streams using numeric water quality standards for the biological community of a stream (based on the benthic macroinvertebrate community) in December. The Clean Water Act’s objective is to “restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Nation’s waters,” but until now, implementation has focused solely on chemical integrity. Biological Objectives tell a meaningful and comprehensive story about the stream’s water quality, habitat, and biota. Unfortunately, these objectives do not apply to concrete lined streams; however, while not perfect, this is a big step forward. 

Heal the Bay advocated for the San Diego Biological Objectives alongside our partners at San Diego Coastkeeper and LA Waterkeeper. With this momentum from the San Diego region, we also advocated for the LA Regional Water Board to adopt their own Biological Objectives. We were thrilled to see a data project related to Biological Objectives make the Los Angeles Regional Board’s priority list this year! We will continue to work with our NGO partners and the Regional Board staff to move this effort along.

Safe, Clean Water Program Implementation

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved over $95 million in new investments under Measure W (the Safe, Clean Water Program) in October. The nine Watershed Area Steering Committees (WASCs), which each include five community representatives, have been working diligently all year to determine where and how funds should be spent. This first round of funding was approved for each WASC to hire Watershed Coordinators, and for the Program to fund 41 infrastructure projects, 15 technical assistance projects, and 4 scientific studies.

Heal the Bay, as a core team member of the OurWaterLA Coalition, has been involved in this program since its inception. We have engaged with the public and met with County staff to help ensure that the goals of the Program are met, while our President and CEO, Shelley Luce oversaw progress as Co-Chair of the Regional Oversight Committee. Heal the Bay has been selected as the Watershed Coordinator for the South Santa Monica Bay. We will lead public engagement efforts in this area for the Safe, Clean Water Program, and coordinate across the county with all 12 Watershed Coordinators. We also applied to be Watershed Coordinators for the Central Santa Monica Bay watershed area – the final decision for that position will be determined within the next few weeks.

Mikaela Loach reminds us all that “we have a lot of power to make changes to these [problematic] systems.” And so we urge you to advocate with all your might for good policies and the systemic changes we need. As hard as we fight, there will be setbacks. Read Part 2 to learn about three environmental policy woes in 2020.

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Storm Response Team… Unite!

10.26.2020 |

Los Angeles StormwaterPlastic Pollution

Ready to take the next step? Complete the virtual training to be added to
Heal the Bay’s Storm Response Team.

Watch the Training Video

Stay safe and follow our extended self-guided cleanup safety tips for post-storm and atmospheric river conditions.

DOWNLOAD Our Self-Guided Cleanup Tips

Fall in Los Angeles means earlier evenings, vibrant sunsets, thicker wetsuits for surfers, autumn colors taking over the San Gabriel Mountains, and the first rainfall of the season is inevitably approaching with winter rains following. We welcome the much-needed showers to quench our environment and combat wildfires. However, the first rainfall (aka the first flush) also impacts the health of our local watersheds and beaches.

The Risk

Stormwater is a major source of pollution for the rivers, lakes, and ocean in Los Angeles County. The first flush brings a flood of water, toxins, and trash from our streets straight onto our beaches through the storm drain system. The runoff eventually dumps a mountain of trash onto shorelines, from Malibu to Redondo Beach, without any treatment or screening. This poses a significant risk, not only for wildlife and marine life who can ingest trash or get entangled, but also to the health of our communities. This is why we have suggested safety precautions after a rainstorm, like waiting 72 hours to go swimming and staying at least 100 yards away from any flowing outfall that looks like a stream meeting the ocean. 

The Data

During Coastal Cleanup Month in September 2020, Heal the Bay volunteers removed more than 40,000 pieces of trash, including food wrappers, straws, takeout containers, and plastic grocery bags from our neighborhoods, parks, trails, and beaches. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) even made the list of top items found for the first year ever. The 4,320 pounds of trash would have been swept through the storm drain system and out on the beach after the first flush if our amazing volunteers didn’t take action.

Coastal Cleanup Month ended weeks ago, but the trash in our environment continues to pile up. The first flush will happen soon, and it will take all of the accumulated pollution in our communities and storm drains and dump it straight onto our beaches. We have a finite amount of time to remove this trash before it reaches the ocean and becomes marine debris.   

How Can You Help?

For several years now, Heal the Bay deploys a team of first responders known as the Storm Response Team in an effort to remove trash and debris around low tide before it heads out to sea. This dedicated team braves the elements and heads to designated areas immediately following a rain event.

We need more volunteers to join our Storm Response Team for the rainy season to help remove trash, track data, and/or document photos. If you’re interested in being the ocean’s first responder after a storm and protecting our environment and community, sign up to receive alerts about volunteer opportunities! 

Heal the Bay will host a virtual training for our Storm Response Team to brief volunteers on what to expect and ensure the team is prepared to conduct individual cleanups after the first rainfall. When a storm hits, volunteers will receive an email a day (or sometimes just hours) in advance of low tide with relevant details and location recommendations. At that point, our Storm Response Team can spring into action, spreading out along the coast and collecting as much trash as possible before it is swept out to sea. 

Join the Storm Response Team

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53 Stormwater Capture Projects Up for Funding: Make Your Voice Heard

04.27.2020 |

Los AngelesLos Angeles StormwaterWater Quality

Annelisa Moe, our Water Quality Scientist, explains the potential of LA’s rainfall, and how every individual can take part in voicing which stormwater capture projects should get Measure W funding.

Like all those across the country who can, I have been practicing responsible physical distancing and staying #SaferAtHome, only leaving the house to buy food or go for a walk. It is getting hot now, but throughout March there were days when I had to carefully time my neighborhood walks to avoid getting caught in the rain – something I am not used to having to do here in sunny Los Angeles.

Although we experienced a very dry winter this year, we have also gotten an unusually wet spring. In fact, we got 4.35 inches of rain in March alone, far exceeding the historical average for that month. But let’s be honest, when it comes to rainfall in LA, “average” does not happen all that often. In 2017, we received only 5 inches of rain. In 2018, we got a whopping 19 inches of rain. And in the 5 years that I have lived in LA, I have been caught off guard by more than one mid-summer downpour.

That’s why this is the time – right now – to figure out how to capture, clean, and reuse more of our stormwater, even from the most unexpected showers, so that we can prepare for a warmer and drier future with a dwindling snowpack.

Stormwater is the number one source of pollution in our rivers, lakes, and ocean. But it could instead become a new source of water for beneficial use. We now have the opportunity to fund new multi-benefit and nature-based stormwater capture projects because LA County voters approved The Safe, Clean Water Program (Measure W) back in 2018. Dozens of projects were proposed across Los Angeles County, 53 of which qualify for funding through the Safe, Clean Water Program this year! Funding and completion of the best of these projects – the ones that truly exemplify the goals of the Safe, Clean Water Program – will improve water quality at beaches and in rivers to protect public health, and green our communities and promote local water to make LA County more resilient to climate change.


Safe Clean Water Program GIS Reference Map. Each Watershed Area is shown in its own unique color. The colored dots represent all of the projects that applied for Safe, Clean Water Program funding this year. Explore the interactive map for more information.

As members of the nine Watershed Area Steering Committees (WASCs) decide which projects to fund, they must consider the commitments made to the greater LA community under this Program, including the goals to improve water quality, prioritize nature-based solutions, foster community engagement, ensure the equitable distribution of funds, and provide local quality jobs.

Fifty-three stormwater capture projects to choose from for Measure W funding! 

OurWaterLA, a diverse coalition working to reinvest in our water future, believes that the following projects best exemplify the goals of the Safe, Clean Water Program, out of the 53 proposed:

In response to COVID-19, WASCs will now convene through virtual online meetings, which are open to the public. The nine WASCs will be making their final decisions on which projects to fund starting Tuesday, April 28, and continuing through May. These funding decisions must be made with consideration given to community input. OurWaterLA will be advocating for the projects listed above, and providing additional input on other proposed projects.

Join Heal the Bay and OurWaterLA to become a Water Warrior:

Search your address to find out which WASC area is yours. Click on your WASC link below to learn all about your watershed area and your committee representatives, and then scroll down to sign up for e-mail updates. You can also check out the OurWaterLA Events calendar to see upcoming committee meeting dates, and find links to join your virtual online meeting.

Take a look at the PowerPoint presentations for the projects proposed in your WASC area, and contact your WASC representatives about which projects you would like to see funded this year.

Check out OurWaterLA Water Leader Resources. Don’t forget to share these electronic resources with your community. We may be physically distancing right now, but we can band together online and in spirit to secure our water future!

Contact Annelisa at Heal the Bay with any questions, or to learn more about how to get involved.

Want to learn more?

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