Heal the Bay Blog

March 12, 2015 — Building on a long-standing partnership, Heal the Bay has named Time Warner Cable as its Beach Healer for the month of March.

TWC employees and their family members will participate in a cleanup at Santa Monica Beach near the iconic Pier this Saturday at 8:30 a.m. In addition to removing ocean-bound debris, 300 volunteers will learn about the causes of ocean pollution and what steps they can take in their daily lives to reduce impacts on our shorelines.

“Heal the Bay relies on the community to help us keep Santa Monica Bay vibrant and thriving,” said Danielle Portnoy, Heal the Bay’s Advancement Director. “It’s heartening to see so many Time Warner Cable staff willing to donate their Saturday morning to our cause. It demonstrates that they are committed and that they care.”

Time Warner Cable is a longtime supporter of Heal the Bay’s educational initiatives, through its Connect a Million Minds program. TWC served as the presenting sponsor of the 2^nd annual Rube Goldberg Contest at the Santa Monica Pier, held last November. Engineering teams from local colleges and high schools competed to construct contraptions that will erase a chalkboard in a wacky fashion.

“Time Warner Cable is committed to promoting environmental awareness and sustainability,” said Katherine McDonald, Time Warner Cable’s Community Investment Manager. “Heal the Bay has been a terrific partner in our STEM efforts, and we are excited to work with them to further our ‘Go Green’ efforts and volunteerism among our employees.”

Heal the Bay hosts dozens of companies each year for cleanups as part of its ongoing Corporate Healer program, which fosters camaraderie and improved morale. Participants also leave the beach with the satisfaction of knowing they helped reduce blight, protected marine animals and boosted the regional economy.

If your company is intertested in participating in a cleanup or our Adopt-a-Beach program, please contact Afarin Davari.

March 3, 2015 — Yessssss! No oil drilling in the Bay.

Voters in Hermosa Beach today overwhelmingly rejected an oil company’s proposal to begin oil drilling underneath the seafloor there, according to initial election returns. Heal the Bay staff and volunteers led the charge to defeat the ill-conceived project, which would have set a dangerous precedent for further oil exploration in L.A. waters.

E&B Natural Resources, a Bakersfield-based oil company, outspent Heal the Bay and other grassroots opponents nearly 10-to-1 in its losing bid to sink 34 wells in the 1.4-square mile coastal city. Big Oil may have deep pockets, but we have a secret weapon: you and thousands of other ocean lovers who simply can’t stand to see the Bay opened up to oil drilling.

Thanks to our supporters, Heal the Bay had the resources to mount a comprehensive and integrated 18-month campaign to halt the project. Staff and volunteers reviewed technical reports, canvassed neighborhoods, manned phone banks, organized community rallies, testified at City Council meetings, created newspaper ads and mobilized opponents on social media.

And you know what? It worked. Nearly 80% of voters rejected drilling in their town! We employed the same strategy in Hermosa that’s been Heal the Bay’s trademark for the past 30 years: passionate advocacy guided by sound science and consensus-driven community input. We are proud to be part of a broad-based coalition that helped protect the Bay, led by such champions as Keep Hermosa Hermosa, the Surfrider Foundation, the NRDC, Food & Water Watch and thousands of individual citizens.

The truth is that we dodged a bullet in Hermosa, but corporate interests continue to target the Bay for further industrial uses.

Our staff scientists recently collaborated with the NRDC on a detailed study that mapped the entire Los Angeles coastal zone and identified areas vulnerable to oil exploration. Many don’t realize it, but several areas underneath our local ocean are at risk, ranging from Long Beach to Malibu. Our policy team will remain vigilant and advocate against potential oil projects off our local coastline.

But we’re not just worried about drills and spills. The Bay faces other industrial threats. For example, corporations are drawing up plans to build desalination plants along the California Coast. In a time of water scarcity, energy-intensive desal plants shouldn’t take the place of smart water conservation and reuse. We shouldn’t just rubber stamp these potentially destructive plants, which suck up millions of gallons of seawater daily.

Whenever harmful proposals pop up, Heal the Bay will be there to gather the facts, do the analysis, speak up and push back when warranted. We’re proud to be the watchdog of the Bay. But to have any bite, we need the political and financial support of the community.

If this work is important to you, please consider contributing to our special Advocacy Fund this March. Any donations made this calendar month will be matched by a generous supporter who values our ongoing policy work.

March 3, 2015—We may have lost one battle. But we haven’t lost the war to keep oil drilling out of Santa Monica Bay.

Voters in Hermosa Beach have narrowly approved an oil company’s proposal to begin drilling underneath the seafloor there, based on initial results from today’s election. E&B Natural Resources, a Bakersfield-based corporation, outspent Heal the Bay and other grassroots opponents nearly 10-to-1 in its bid to sink 34 wells in the 1.4-square mile coastal city.

We believe that low turnout and a misinformation campaign funded by Big Oil led to the narrow passage of Measure O. Voters seemed to be swayed by wildly speculative promises of royalty revenues, despite the obvious risks of oil spills and impacts to quality of life from drilling.

While the vote is disappointing, there is some good news to share: This dangerous and ill-advised project is far from a sure thing.

And that’s where you come in.

Big Oil may have deep pockets, but we have a secret weapon – you and thousands of other ocean lovers who simply can’t stand to see the Bay opened up to oil drilling.

There is no oil drilling in the Bay now, and we aim to keep it that way by using the best science and passionate advocacy to deny E&B the necessary regulatory permits. If E&B is allowed to proceed in Hermosa, it would set a terrible precedent for further industrialization of the Bay.

Heal the Bay’s science and policy team is assembling a multi-tiered campaign to persuade the California Coastal Commission and State Lands Commission to withhold permits to E&B based on numerous safety and health risks outlined in the official Environmental Impact Report. We’re already reviewing technical documents, gathering expert scientific testimony, preparing legal arguments in consultation with our partners and mobilizing political support.

We got our start in 1985 by leading the grassroots fight to stop the Hyperion Treatment Plant from dumping partially treated sewage in the Bay. We’ve come too far in the three decades since to allow oil drilling under the Bay. A spill would be disastrous for our entire region, not just Hermosa.

We will keep you posted on ways you can lend your voice to stop this project in coming months.

We will prevail.

We ask you to please consider contributing to our special No Oil Fund this March. Any donations made this calendar month will be matched by a generous supporter who values our history of effective policy work.

Feb. 24, 2015 — Well, it looks like it may be time to bring back our Bag Monster. We thought we had put our symbol of Big Plastic out to pasture with last year’s passage of a statewide ban on single-use plastic bags. But the plastics industry has thrown millions of dollars into a voter referendum to halt the common-sense legislation.

The California Secretary of State announced today that the referendum sponsored by opponents of California’s single-use bag ban has qualified, which will put implementation of the bag law, SB 270, on hold. Voters will now decide whether or not the ban lives in the November 2016 election.

The plastic bag industry, primarily driven by out-of-state support, has sunk over $3.2 million into its campaign to repeal this landmark pollution prevention law. But, Heal the Bay, along with our partners in the California vs. Big Plastic coalition, are not backing down.

Thankfully, voters agree that it’s time to eliminate the single-use bags, which are a powerful symbol of our throw-away consumer culture. A poll by USC Dornslife/Los Angeles Times showed that about six in 10 California voters support the ban, while 34% would vote to overturn the law.

Removal of the plastic bag ban wouldn’t just harm the environment, it would be bad for the economy. California cities and counties spend an estimated $428 million annually to clean up litter and prevent plastic pollution. Flimsy, discarded bags are a blight to our communities, and harmful to aquatic life, like sea turtles and birds.

So what does this mean for shoppers throughout California? The 138 local plastic bag bans that were enacted prior to passage of the state law will remain in place, in areas like the city and county of Los Angeles, Santa Monica, and Long Beach. Referendum qualification will freeze implementation of SB 270, as originally scheduled, so retailers in communities without plastic bag bans may continue to distribute free plastic bags.

But, nothing is keeping individual municipalities from acting against the plastic sack scourge. Right now, nearly one in three Californians live in a municipality that has banned bags. Since implementation of the statewide law is on hold, members of California vs. Big Plastic will continue to advocate for the adoption of local bans.

Investigation of the legitimacy of the plastic industry’s signature gathering practices will continue as well. After widespread voter complaints of signature gathering fraud, the California Attorney General mounted an investigation earlier this year into whether deceptive signature gathering practices were employed.

It’s troubling to think that out-of-state plastic corporations can buy their way onto the ballot. Let’s stand up and show them we are proud to move past costly and polluting plastic bags.

Our science and policy team will continue to work with our partners to help uphold the ban. We’ll keep you posted on ways you can help in the months to come.

We always get questions about plastic bags. We recently assembled an FAQ that details many of the myths and facts about the mysterious bag.

The Plastic Bag Monster has won a brief reprieve. But his days are numbered ….

Swimming in the Bay

Unfortunate as it may be, humans can become ill from contact with polluted water found in Santa Monica Bay.

This fact was proven conclusively in 1995 through a groundbreaking epidemiological study designed to determine how exposure to ocean water bacteria relates to human illness. The study, which Heal the Bay assisted with, found that you are twice as likely to get sick swimming in front of a flowing storm drain compared to swimming in clean ocean water 400 yards away. The bottom line is that contact with ocean water with high bacteria levels increases one’s risk of getting sick.

The two most common illnesses contracted from contact with polluted ocean water are stomach flu & upper respiratory infections. Additional problems can include skin rashes and ear, nose and throat infections.

Wait at least 72 hours after a rain storm

When it rains, pollutants that have been accumulating on the streets and in the catch basins get whisked through the storm drain system to the ocean, dramatically increasing bacteria levels in the Bay. Heal the Bay recommends avoiding all ocean water contact during a storm and waiting at least 72 hours (3 days) after it has stopped raining before going into the ocean as well as avoiding storm drain impacted and enclosed beaches for 5 to 10 days after a storm. This provides time for bacteria levels to return to safe levels. And remember, over 95% of the time beaches along the Santa Monica Bay are safe in dry weather.

Avoid flowing storm drains

Swim at least 100 yards away from where the storm drain flow enters the surf. You are twice as likely to get sick if you swim in front of a flowing storm drain due to increased bacteria concentrations from urban runoff.

Do not play in storm drain puddles

Shallow puddles of water on the sand between a storm drain and the surf may appear safe, warm and inviting for children, but this water is urban runoff, filled with bacteria that can cause illness. Although there may not always be warning signs surrounding puddles of urban runoff, this water is never safe for swimming.

Avoid enclosed beaches

Many beaches named “Mother’s Beach” (e.g. in Marina del Rey, Los Angeles County) or “Baby Beach” (in Dana Point, Orange County) are enclosed with poor tidal circulation. Bacteria levels are usually much higher and tend to survive longer in duration at enclosed beaches than those exposed to the open ocean due to the lack of water circulation. Although enclosed beaches appear safe and inviting to children, parents should research water quality conditions carefully before allowing their children to swim at these beaches.

Eating Fish From the Bay

Is it safe to eat fish from Santa Monica Bay and Southern California coastal waters? It can be if you follow our precautions.

Many people catch and eat fish from the waters off the coasts of L.A. and Orange counties. Because fish from these areas may contain DDT, PCBs and methylmercury, people who consume such fish may be ingesting these chemical contaminants and putting their health at risk.  Heal the Bay’s Angler Outreach workers spend their days on local piers, talking to subsistence fishermen about how to avoid contaminated fish and lessen their exposure to these chemicals.

To safeguard your health when consuming fish caught in Santa Monica Bay and surrounding coastal waters, use the information below to reduce your risk of exposure to toxic chemicals. For additional information, visit the Fish Contamination Education Collaborative.

Avoid white croaker

White croaker (also called kingfish or tomcod) generally contains higher levels DDT and PCB than other fish from the Santa Monica Bay area. This is primarily because the white croaker is a non-migratory fish that feeds off the ocean floor where these chemicals have settled. In fact, a 1997 Heal the Bay study on the white croaker found that an astounding 84% of the samples tested exceeded EPA’s “acceptable cancer risk level” for DDT.

Avoid fishing in contaminated areas

Several areas exist along the coast of Los Angeles and Orange counties where fish are likely to contain higher levels of DDTs and PCBs than those fish caught outside of these areas. These contaminated areas include Cabrillo Pier, White Point, Pier J, Belmont Pier and Point Vicente. The highest levels of DDTs and PCBs in ocean sediment are found about one to three miles offshore of the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

Follow the consumption recommendations 

Heed the Fish Consumption Recommendations, which shows how much of each fish caught from the different zones in the Bay one can safely eat (brochures and pocket guides). Since chemicals can pose greater health risks to babies and young children, it is particularly important for women of childbearing age, pregnant women, and nursing mothers to follow the fish consumption recommendations.

This Thank You Thursday is one big Valentine to our partners and the people of Hermosa Beach who joined us for our Pop-up Pep Rally on Feb. 7

Heal the Bay is going all out to defeat Big Oil in Hermosa Beach leading up to the city’s March 3rd vote on whether to keep the current moratorium on oil drilling in place. Together with partners Surfrider Foundation and Keep Hermosa Hermosa, we hosted a giant outdoor party that brought out the community for a celebratory day of community action, awareness, musical performances, food and good fun.

We couldn’t have done it without the generosity of Becker Surf Shop and its amazing (and musical!) management team of Bob Rich and Kira Lingman. Becker gave up its parking lot for the day and offered staggering discounts on merch while partygoers munched on cheesy deliciousness from The Grilled Cheese Truck and people of all ages made a show of hands (oily black hand prints, that is) for a Vote No On O banner–all to the rockin’ beat of Lingman and her band The Hollow Legs.

And the music never stopped, with guest appearances by The Spillage People (fabulously choreographed by our friends at The Pretenders Studio) and Allan Mason–Hermosa’s own Pete Seeger–who led the crowd in his anthem “Send em’ back to Bakersfield.”

It was an incredible day, and we’re so grateful for all our friends who helped make it happen!

Check out our Facebook album for pictures from the party!

The aftermath of a terrible oil spill in Santa Barbara 46 years ago is still affecting L.A. shorelines, reports Heal the Bay vice president Sarah Sikich.

Today the state’s environmental community is solemnly remembering a regional environmental disaster of unprecedented proportions – the Santa Barbara oil spill. The vibrancy of Santa Barbara’s coastline is so striking, which is why the tragic events of 1969 still stain the minds of so many Californians.

The years I spent living in Santa Barbara in the early 2000s were the closest I’ve come to my career goal of living fully as a beach bum. I threw myself into the ocean – both literally and figuratively. I studied Coastal and Marine Resources Management at UCSB’s Bren School, paddled outriggers for Ocean Club, served as a Board Member for the Coastal Fund and worked summers at Santa Barbara Sailing Center. Few memories top the sunsets at Mesa Lane beach, the world-class surf at Rincon (and other spots that shall not be mentioned) or being greeted by gray whales during early morning outrigger practice.

But 46 years ago today, an environmental disaster of unprecedented proportions rocked the Santa Barbara coastline. On January 28, 1969, about five miles off the Southern California coast, a blow-out occurred on Union Oil’s Platform A, spewing an estimated 3 million gallons of crude oil into the Santa Barbara Channel and fouling beaches from Goleta to Ventura and across to the rugged Channel Islands.

Thousands of birds were killed, and numerous ocean wildlife, including sea lions,elephant seals and fish perished. The blow-out also took an economic toll on the community. Commercial fishing was temporarily suspended, tourism suffered and coastal properties bore considerable damage. This catastrophe remains the third-largest oil spill in U.S. history after Deepwater Horizon and Exxon Valdez. It also helped spark several environmental laws and policies, including the Clean Water Act, the National Environmental Policy Act and the California Coastal Commission, and laid the foundation for the modern environmental movement.

Nearly five decades removed, we are still faced with environmental threats associated with oil drilling along our coast. Although California has retired all but one of its outdated and risky offshore marine terminals, Santa Monica Bay is home to California’s last remaining offshore marine terminal, built in 1911, which services more than 300 tankers each year. Meanwhile, dozens of oil rigs dot the waters off California’s coast. One by one, these offshore oil drilling platforms are also being decommissioned in California.

But emerging oil drilling projects pose a new threat to our beaches.

Although new offshore drilling is prohibited in our state and federal waters, oil companies continue to seek ways to access oil fields underneath the seafloor. We are feeling that threat right here in Santa Monica Bay, through pursuit of a slant-drilling project to access oil under the Hermosa Beach seafloor by an oil company called E&B Natural Resources Corp. And, it’s up to Hermosa voters – a community that has stood up to big oil for decades – to decide whether or not to allow this oil drilling operation through a special election ballot measure. On March 3, Hermosans will vote on Measure O, electing whether to maintain the existing moratorium on oil drilling or to repeal that ban and allow E&B Natural Resources to pursue its proposed 34-well, up-to-30-year drilling operation.

Throughout February, Heal the Bay will be in the Hermosa community to educate voters about the risks associated with oil drilling. You can come join us on February 7 for a beach clean-up and Pop-Up Pep Rally at Becker Surfboards in Hermosa and for an environmental forum on February 12 featuring remarks by long-standing environmental advocates Ed Begley, Jr. and Bobby Kennedy, Jr.

Heal the Bay has also partnered with NRDC to produce a report evaluating the risk of oil drilling to Santa Monica Bay, which outlines the legal protections against and vulnerabilities to oil drilling along the Bay.

Big Oil is slick. And, it has deep pockets. Local communities must be vigilant in standing up for the environment and public health, and show solidarity when neighboring cities are suffering from proposals to drill. We applaud the City of Santa Monica for adopting a resolution opposing Measure O last month. We hope that by continuing to stand up against Big Oil in their own communities, individuals and local municipalities will encourage Hermosans to keep their ban on oil drilling.

Find out more about how to get involved on the Take Part page of our website.

 Oil drilling remains a threat to the animals that call Southern California waters home. Photo courtesy Boston.com