Heal the Bay Blog

We may live on opposite coasts, but pollution runoff affects us all and Marylanders did something about it.

In 2012, Maryland passed legislation that would require the city of Baltmore and the state’s nine largest counties to implement stormwater pollution fees to raise revenue to clean up the Chesapeake Bay, serving up some lessons that we can apply here in Los Angeles as we work on our own Clean Water, Clean Beaches measure.

Since its passage at the state level, Maryland’s counties have either approved, or are working to approve, fees their officials find fair for homeowners and businesses…stirring up plenty of debate along the way. In fact, what opponents have termed the “rain tax,” has thrust the mid-Atlantic state’s water pollution solution into the national spotlight. (A similar program was recently enacted in Philadelphia, resulting in a 25-year “Green City, Clean Waters” plan)

An April 16 op-ed in the Baltimore Sun argued in favor of the new fees and disputed the “rain tax” moniker:

“This isn’t merely about protecting the bay (although that alone would justify the program) but also about protecting the health of freshwater drinking supplies and preventing local flooding, two issues that should strike most Marylanders pretty close to home. …We aren’t taxing rain, we’re taxing the pollution all of us generate, however unintentionally. The rain is just the vehicle by which that pollution is swept away.”

We Angelenos can relate, as we import drinkable water and dare not swim in the ocean too soon after a rainfall, so as not to be sickened by pollution runoff. Flooding is also a potential result of climate change here in Southern California.

Which is why we’re working on funding projects that capture and filter rainwater through the passage of the Clean Water Clean Beaches measure, keeping runoff pollution out of our waterways and bolstering groundwater supplies, which could eventually be used for drinking water.

The L.A. County Board of Supervisors put the measure on hold in March, but we at Heal the Bay remain hard at work to keep it as strong as possible. The consequences of not doing anything are just too dire.

Concerned about sustainable water supply in Los Angeles? So are we. Contact your Los Angeles County supervisor to support the “Clean Water, Clean Beaches” measure.

Artist Erik Abel first volunteered with Heal the Bay at a Nothin’ But Sand beach cleanup in January 2012 where he was treated to a special tour of our Santa Monica Pier Aquarium. There, he found inspiration in the Aquarium’s “shark eggs and funky jellyfish” and realized he wanted to get more involved with our organization. Clean and healthy oceans have always been important to the California native, so partnering with Heal the Bay seemed an obvious choice.

“The ocean is my sanctuary, and I want to do my part to help it stay healthy,” Abel said. “Heal the Bay is a great organization that makes a difference. I’m stoked to work with them and contribute to their cause as a Heal the Bay 2013 Partner Artist.”

As our partner artist, Abel has created stunning artwork accompanying our Bring Back the Beach gala, including the invitation and a mural on display at the event. He will also donate an original painting to the gala’s silent auction and release prints after the event in May. 

Katherine Pease, Heal the Bay’s Watershed Scientist, reflects on publishing and presenting Stream Team data from the Malibu Creek Watershed to the public.

Last week we received a box containing the much-anticipated and limited print copies of the Malibu Creek Watershed report. Holding the weighty report —140 pages! — in hand was extremely satisfying knowing all the hard work that was put into its creation over the last 15 years.

Despite that satisfaction, we also know that with the completion of this physical report only begins the next steps in its lifespan. We don’t want the report to sit on a shelf and gather dust or be downloaded and never examined. Our goal for the report is to share our findings far and wide and to use it to enact positive change.

We kicked off the process Tuesday night at a public workshop about the report. We saw an amazing turnout (over 80 people)! Clearly the topic resonated among community members who are actively engaged in protecting this watershed.

All in all, it was a great evening at National Park Service’s Diamond X Ranch in the Santa Monica Mountains. Sarah Sikich (Heal the Bay’s Coastal Resources Director), Shelley Luce (Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission’s Executive Director), and I  presented the major findings and recommendations of the report along with ways for the public to get involved. A question and answer panel followed the presentation and two of our dedicated Stream Team volunteers joined us for that.

Attendees also had the chance to visit informational booths hosted by organizations working in the watershed and greater Santa Monica Mountains, including Mountains Restoration Trust, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, LA Waterkeeper, California Wildlife Center, Malibu Creek State Park Docents, Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission & Foundation, and California Native Plant Society.

Moving forward, we will continue the watershed monitoring we’ve been conducting since 1998. If you’re interested in participating in monthly water quality monitoring, we will be training Stream Team volunteers (pictured here) on May 11, 2013 – please apply online.

We will also be meeting and working with the public, stakeholders, public officials, and decision-makers to begin to advance implementation of some of our recommendations. Some great ideas for moving forward were proposed on Tuesday night at the public workshop and we will follow up on those ideas for working together to protect and improve a watershed that we all care deeply about.

Read our State of the Watershed Report.

Get Involved: Join us for an Earth Month restoration event in Malibu Creek State Park.

“Water is the driving force in nature.” – Leonardo Da Vinci

Tomorrow we celebrate the global importance of clean, fresh water as part of World Water Day. In most of the world, people don’t have access to safe drinking water, while here in Los Angeles protecting our water remains an ongoing challenge.

Which is why we are so grateful to our partners and friends who support our work to maintain a locally sustainable water supply and to protect what we all love and value—clean water!

Just this Tuesday we hosted a workshop focused on the Malibu Creek Watershed and our work to understand this vast clean water resource in our own backyard. We’d like to thank our partners who came out that evening to share their expertise about animals and native plants, scenic hiking spots and restoration activities in the area: Santa Monica Bay Restoration Foundation, Mountains Restoration Trust, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, LA Waterkeeper, California Wildlife Center, Malibu Creek State Park Docents, and California Native Plant Society.

We are also thankful to the 715 volunteers who joined us to pick up 371 pounds of trash at Nothin’ But Sand last Saturday at Venice Pier. Plus, as part of our ongoing Zero Waste initiative, we only used a handful of plastic bags, as most folks either brought their own buckets, or borrowed one of ours! A special shout out to Jason Holland and the Credit Suisse team, whose volunteer hours translated into donation dollars, ensuring that our effective pollution prevention programs such as Nothin’ But Sand keep running and keep our local waters clean.

We’d also like to thank Canehill Glass Ranch for donating to our clean water cause, including lovely repurposed glass “thank you items” to some of our top supporters.

Do you value clean water? Learn more about our work to maintain a healthy local water supply .

Join us on Earth Day (April 20) for our next Nothin’ But Sand cleanup.