Heal the Bay Blog

Aug. 25, 2016 — Popular recreation zones in the L.A. River suffer from elevated levels of bacterial pollution, according to a new technical report from Heal the Bay that analyzed water quality during the busy summer season. Here we address concerns people may have and share our vision for a healthier river.

What exactly are “recreation zones” on the L.A. River?
Recreation zones in the Los Angeles River are areas where people are allowed to access the river. Non-motorized boating is allowed in these areas as well as fishing (with a license), walking and bird watching. There are two recreation zones: a two-mile stretch in the Sepulveda Basin (Encino) and a two-and-a-half mile stretch in Elysian Valley (Frogtown). Recreation is also allowed at the mouth of the L.A. River in Long Beach.

Why and when were they created?
The L.A. River was designated a “navigable” waterway back in 2010 by the US EPA, meaning that it’s protected by the Clean Water Act. This designation was the result of years of advocacy by many groups, including Friends of the Los Angeles River, NRDC, Heal the Bay, and other environmental groups as well as a group of kayakers and boaters who paddled 51 miles of the river to show that the river is in fact navigable (check out the documentary “Rock the Boat”). In 2011 a pilot recreation program was started in the Sepulveda Basin, and in 2013 the Elysian Valley recreation zone was opened. The zones are open for recreation during the summer months (typically from Memorial Day to the end of September) and during safe flow conditions.

How many people recreate on the L.A. River in a given year?
Every year thousands of people recreate in the L.A. River. In 2014, approximately 6,000 people utilized the recreation zones, according to the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority.

Why is Heal the Bay testing water quality on the L.A. River?
Heal the Bay is well known for its Beach Report Card, which has provided A-to-F water quality “grades” each week for over 450 beaches in California since 1990. However, we’ve also been monitoring freshwater rivers, streams and creeks since 1998 through our Stream Team program. We believe that assessing water quality in a variety of waterbodies provides a clearer, more robust picture of environmental health throughout Greater Los Angeles. Recently, our focus has shifted to popular freshwater recreational spots, which, aside from the L.A. River, includes swimming holes in the Santa Monica Mountains.

What kind of bacteria is Heal the Bay testing for?
Heal the Bay tested for two types of fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) — E. coli and Enterococcus. Our staff scientists — led by Dr. Katherine Pease — collected and tested water samples weekly for fecal indicator bacteria at three sites in the two recreation zones in the Sepulveda Basin and Elysian Valley areas of the river over a three-month period in summer 2015. Bacteria levels varied among the sites in the new L.A. River study, but overall were quite high. For example, samples for one type of fecal indicator bacteria, Enterococcus, exceeded federal standards 100% of the time at two sites in Elysian Valley (Rattlesnake Park and Steelhead Park) and 50% of the time in Sepulveda Basin. The Rattlesnake Park site also suffered from a 67% exceedance rate for E. coli.

What illnesses are associated with those bacteria?
FIB, while not necessarily harmful themselves, indicate the possible presence of pathogenic bacteria, which have been found to cause ear infections, skin rashes, respiratory illnesses and gastrointestinal illness. High levels of FIB are particularly concerning in areas where people come in contact with water through activities like swimming, fishing, and kayaking.

How does the bacteria get in the water?
The Total Maximum Daily Load, or TMDL, for the L.A. River identifies several contributors of harmful bacteria to recreational zones along the river: urban runoff, leaks and flows from wastewater collection systems, illicit connections and failing septic systems. Bacteria sources include pets, horses, wildlife, and human waste.

Is anyone really surprised that the L.A River suffers from poor water quality?
Learning that parts of the river suffered from poor water quality was not a revelation to many Angelenos. The surprise for most people was learning that there were lush, green, navigable parts of the river with actual rapids—portions of the river that actually look like a river. We hope that by spreading awareness of these “wild” spots, people will be more inspired to act as ambassadors for the river’s improvement.

Will I get sick if I go kayaking in the L.A. River?
The odds are that if you go on a kayak trip on the L.A. River you won’t get sick. But there’s always that risk – especially if you don’t follow common safety procedures. We do know that the water quality is uncertain and known to have bacteria levels that are frequently over accepted thresholds. The thresholds that the US EPA and the Regional Water Quality Control Board have put forth are based on epidemiological studies and risk. Recreation in waters that are over accepted bacteria thresholds means that there may be an increased risk of illness when you come in contact with the water. An increased risk of illness is not a guarantee that you will get sick. Certain activities are more risky when water quality is poor; for instance, swimming and submerging your head is more risky than wading; swimming is more risky than kayaking; kayaking is likely more risky than hiking (at least with regards to picking up a waterborne illness), and so on, with the risk dependent on how likely you are to ingest or contact water. Whether we realize it or not, we all make decisions every day based on risk, such as driving a car, eating questionable leftovers, or playing a sport. Deciding what to do with this water quality information depends on the risk level you are comfortable with.

Does Heal the Bay support kayaking and other recreational uses on the L.A. River?
Heal the Bay has long advocated for public access to and use of open space and waterways, whether it is in Compton Creek, Malibu Creek State Park, Ballona Wetlands, or the beach. Benefits from utilizing these open spaces are clear in terms of individual and community health as well as fostering environmental stewardship and engagement. Less than 10 years ago we worked successfully alongside many partner groups to get US EPA to designate the L.A. River as a navigable waterway, in part so it could be used more for recreational purposes. Experiencing the L.A. River firsthand is an undeniable way to make a connection to a river that needs supporters and advocates; many Heal the Bay staff members and volunteers have kayaked the L.A. River over the years and will continue to do so. We also believe that the public has a right to know what the water quality of the river is and then to make an informed decision about how they want to experience the river.

I want to go kayaking. How do I book a trip?
There are a number of groups who lead kayak tours of the river. You can take your own kayak or steerable non-motorized boat down the river or you can book an individual trip or a group trip through the kayak concessionaires listed here.

What can I do to keep safe if I do go?
Swimming is not allowed in the Sepulveda Basin or Elysian Valley recreation zones. We recommend limiting your contact with the water, particularly avoiding hand-to-face water contact, entering the water with an open wound, if immunocompromised, or after a rainfall. After water contact, we recommend rinsing off with soap and water. We also encourage all visitors to learn about water quality and ask questions. Check the most recent water quality results from Heal the Bay. Bacteria-related water-quality information will be posted on this page weekly during the summer months or open recreation season.

Who is responsible for making sure the river meets clean-water standards?
The Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board has the authority to enforce Clean Water Act guidelines for the L.A. River. The board issues permits and regulations for the L.A. River, such as discharge permits for water reclamation plants, stormwater permits for cities along the River, and Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for pollutants, such as bacteria. A TMDL basically sets the amount of pollution that a waterbody can handle while still maintaining its beneficial uses, such as recreation, wildlife habitat, and groundwater recharge. There is a TMDL for bacteria pollution in the L.A. River Watershed; this document identifies entities that contribute to bacterial pollution and sets limits and timelines to achieve reductions in pollution.

What does Heal the Bay envision for the river in the next few years?
We envision a river where people can explore, kayak, fish, and even swim without fear of getting sick. However, this goal is likely many years away. In order for this vision to be realized, community members and municipal and non-governmental agencies need to work together to support efforts aimed at reducing pollution in the river, such as stormwater capture projects. Heal the Bay is also advocating for more flexible funding options to support these projects. Understanding the impact that we as individuals can have is also key to making behavioral changes that can improve the quality of runoff entering the river – picking up after our pets, properly managing our trash, and not overwatering our lawns or washing our cars in the street.

In the meantime, Heal the Bay hopes to see readily available water quality information for people visiting the river, as well as more informative signage so that people understand the simple precautions they can take to minimize their risk of illness. Further, we will push for immediate abatement actions to reduce bacterial inputs, particularly in dry weather. For instance, if a stormdrain is determined to be a major source of bacteria, a low-flow diversion should be explored, where the runoff is diverted to the sewer system to be treated instead of reaching the L.A. River.

What can I do to help improve water quality on the L.A River?
Heal the Bay was founded on the principle of concerned citizens standing together to right an environmental wrong. In 1985, we pressured the Hyperion Wastewater Treatment Plant to improve its treatment process and stop discharging sludge into Santa Monica Bay. The same principle can be applied to the improvement and stewardship of the Los Angeles River. If enough people are aware of the problem, and commit themselves to collaboratively finding solutions, a healthy, clean L.A. River is within reach.

We urge Angelenos to explore and get to know their river, to pay attention to conversations about the River happening at council meetings and other agencies and make sure that their voices are also heard in these venues, and to support efforts that will lead to lasting change and improvements in the water quality of the river.

This FAQ is available in Spanish here.

Aug. 17, 2016 —  Just departed president Alix Hobbs made asking the hard questions look easy, writes Communications Director Matthew King.

No. It’s one of the simplest words in the English language, but often one of the hardest to say.

Heal the Bay has a team of passionate advocates whose heads are filled with big ideas. These well-meaning initiatives, cooked up in the excitement of a brainstorming meeting or a flurry of overly optimistic emails, can quickly take a life of their own. Other priorities established weeks ago are set aside, as the team chases the new concept like 8-year-olds scurrying in unison after a soccer ball at a Saturday AYSO game.

The problem with good ideas is that they are just ideas – and often not very good ones. (“Hey, let’s create a giant sea star on the beach made of glued-together cigarette butts!”) Pursuing them costs time and money – two of any nonprofit’s most precious assets.

Heal the Bay, like any well-run organization, simply needs someone smart to say No. Someone to ask the hard questions. For many years that person was Alix Hobbs, our just departed president.

It isn’t an easy job, nor a glamorous one, but it’s critical to our success. She had to make choices on matters as mundane as selecting our credit card company, and as soul-shaking as personnel reductions. And during my nine-year tenure here, Alix did it with conviction, fairness and a clear sense of purpose.

Nonprofits love to hold meetings.  We discuss items to death. We form subcommittees to offer preferred alternatives. Everyone has a voice, and consensus is desperately sought. But ultimately someone has to make a decision. And lately that fell to Alix in her duties overseeing Heal the Bay for the past two years.

A naval commander’s daughter, Alix was to the captain’s bridge born. When faced with a decision, she surveys the options as if scanning the open sea. After careful consideration, amid often conflicting voices, she’ll speak in a firm, clear voice about which way to point the boat. That confidence is reassuring to a busy crew seeking calm in the middle of a minor squall.

Alix had grown up professionally at the organization, serving capably in a variety of roles for nearly 20 years – from volunteer to Coastal Cleanup Day coordinator to Programs Director. But some of her greatest work came serving largely behind the scenes as Associate Director during the tenure of past president Mark Gold. Essentially acting as our CFO, she made sure the trains ran on time — managing budgets, overseeing operations, shepherding grants — so our policy and education teams could do their amazing work.

Then the board threw her into a new challenge – settling the HTB ship after a few turbulent years. As our new chief, she was tasked with spearheading the creation and adoption of a comprehensive 10-year strategic plan. She also was asked to lead a fundraising campaign to solidify our financial foundation as the regional economy finally woke from its slumber.

Speaking directly and confidently with the media and general public, Alix made my job as Communications Director easier. Statuesque with preppy good looks, she exudes self-assurance. I once told her that she reminded me of the dark-haired actress Ali MacGraw. She quickly shot back: “Who’s Ali MacGraw?,” making me feel a thousand years old. (If you’re under 40, you can Google “Love Story” or “Steve McQueen’s wife.”)

But Alix and I occasionally butted heads over the years, be it about staffing levels in my department or the tone of an email blast. I’m a right-brain type, acting on instinct and intuition; she’s a left-brainer, guided by reason and analytics. We usually approached a potential problem from differing perspectives. But we typically came to an agreement that best served the organization. To her credit, she trusted me to do my job and always gave me creative latitude and authority.

Having fulfilled her mandate, Alix is now moving on and has accepted a job as president of the Crystal Cove Alliance in Newport Beach. She’ll get a chance to test out her entrepreneurial skills and expand her management chops in the hospitality field.

The good news is that Alix will remain connected to Heal the Bay. She has accepted a voting position on our board of directors and will have a voice in our future direction.

With respect and gratitude, I look forward to hearing many more No’s from her.

Aug. 15, 2016 — Longtime board member takes reins from Alix Hobbs, who is departing for new job running the Crystal Cove Alliance in Orange County.

Heal the Bay’s board of directors has announced that Stephanie Medina will serve as interim president and CEO following the recent departure of  Alix Hobbs as chief of the environmental nonprofit.

Medina, a longtime board member and past chairman, will assume responsibility for financial, operational and strategic oversight of the organization.

She will share management duties with vice president Sarah Sikich, who oversees science and policy initiatives. In the coming months, the board will pursue a leadership search that includes both internal and external candidates.

The move follows the board of directors’ adoption of comprehensive 10-year strategic plan spearheaded by Hobbs, as well as a highly successful fundraising campaign to solidify the group’s financial foundation amid a slowly recovering regional economy.

Hobbs, a nearly 20-veteran of the Santa Monica-based nonprofit, has accepted a job as president of the Crystal Cove Alliance in Newport Beach. She will remain connected to Heal the Bay, and has accepted a voting position on our board of directors.

“The Heal the Bay family is exactly that — a family of devoted, passionate, capable and smart people,” said Hobbs. “So stepping away after all these years is emotional. But I depart knowing that we have left the next generation with something much better than what we inherited.”

A San Fernando Valley resident, Medina has held several management positions in the nonprofit and media sectors. She most recently served as a senior vice president of community relations for the Special Olympics’ World Games 2015, following positions directing Public Affairs at broadcast stations KTLA and KCAL/KCBS. She also served on the city of Los Angeles’ Transportation Commission.

“Having served on the board for so many years, I got to see the good work that our staff and volunteers do,” said Medina. “But now I get to come into our office every day! I couldn’t be more honored to lead the team in our next phase of growth.”

As part of its new strategic plan, the staff and board of Heal the Bay is focusing on three key directional goals in the coming decade:

• To better protect public health, we will work to ensure that people can swim and fish at every beach in L.A. County without risk of getting sick.
• To ensure a more sustainable water future, we will work to ensure that L.A. County sources 60% of its water locally through conservation and reuse by 2025.
• To restore the vibrancy of our local oceans and watersheds, we will work to ensure that all greater L.A. coastal and river habitats are healthy.

July 27, 2016 — Heal the Bay released today a landmark study of water quality in the Los Angeles River. Dr. Katherine Pease, the study’s author, explains why improving the river’s water quality should be an integral part of any plan to restore it.

Last week’s massive 2.4 million gallon sewage spill into the Los Angeles River and subsequent closure of local beaches illustrates the serious water-quality challenges facing our inland waterways.

Sewage spills are unusual one-time events, but a new study that I have just completed demonstrates that bacterial pollution continues to plague the river on a chronic, long-term basis. We are releasing the results today.

The findings are a cause for both concern and opportunity — given the growing recreational uses of the river and a $1 billion revitalization plan for L.A.’s central water body.

The L.A. River Study

• Full Report
• Recreation Zone Maps
• Figures
• Appendices
• Press Release

The study shows that popular recreation spots along the Los Angeles River suffer from very poor water quality, which poses health risks to the growing number of people who fish, swim and kayak in its waters.

Kayaking and other recreational opportunities are frequently described by participants as transformational in their perception of the Los Angeles River. Getting on the water helps people move beyond the stereotypical image of a concrete drainage ditch to a vision of a vibrant river filled with life and potential.

My transformational moment at the river took place in 2009 when I was asked by a friend to participate in River School, an educational event put on by Friends of the Los Angeles River (FOLAR) in the Elysian Valley. We scouted an area by Fletcher Avenue the day before, searching for examples of native and non-native plants as well as aquatic life in scoops of water.

I was amazed at this newly discovered area that had been hiding in plain sight. I found a hawk pellet underneath an overpass of a busy street. I ate a mulberry from a tree growing in the river. I also saw signs of a waterbody that needed help. Pollution in the form of trash was obvious, but the unseen pollution was also troubling.

The importance of developing a personal connection to the river cannot be overstated. Heal the Bay hopes that people continue to have transformational moments in its waters and that the river itself can be transformed into a waterbody meeting its beneficial uses of recreation, recharging groundwater, and providing habitat for wildlife.

But we have a long way to go – as the study clearly demonstrates.

Building on Heal the Bay’s work as a watchdog for public health at local beaches, we began monitoring popular, previously unmonitored freshwater recreational areas in 2014 starting with swimming holes in the Santa Monica Mountains, and adding sites in the L.A. River in 2015.

Heal the Bay staff scientists collected and tested water samples weekly for fecal indicator bacteria at three sites in the two recreation zones in the Sepulveda Basin and Elysian Valley areas of the river over a three-month period in summer 2015.

Bacteria levels varied among the sites in the new L.A. River study, but overall were quite high. For example, samples for one type of fecal indicator bacteria, Enterococcus, exceeded federal standards 100% of the time at two sites in Elysian Valley (Rattlesnake Park and Steelhead Park) and 50% of the time in Sepulveda Basin. The Rattlesnake Park site also suffered from a 67% exceedance rate for E. coli.

These exceedances indicate risk for ear infections, respiratory illnesses and gastrointestinal illnesses for people who come in contact with the water.

Much of the water that flows in the L.A. River is highly treated and sanitized wastewater from the city of L.A.’s Tillman Reclamation Plant in Van Nuys, nearly 16 million gallons a day. Tillman’s discharge is not considered a source of bacterial pollution, and without its flow there would likely be no kayaking in the Los Angeles River.

Although the recreation zones were previously unassessed, monitoring in other stretches of the L.A. River show high bacteria counts, which led to the L.A. River’s designation by the state as a bacteria-impaired waterbody. The Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board has also imposed a bacteria Total Maximum Daily Load, or TMDL, for the river, which identifies several contributors of harmful bacteria to recreational zones along the river: urban runoff, leaks and flows from wastewater collection systems, illicit connections and failing septic systems. Bacteria sources include pets, horses and human waste.

By law, cities along the river and entities who discharge into it are required to enact pollution-reducing measures to comply with the federal Clean Water Act. The final deadlines for these regulations are a ways off, with interim and final goals set for 2030 and 2037, respectively. However, cities have worked together to develop an Enhanced Watershed Management Plan to address these issues with shorter-term milestones along the way.

In the report, Heal the Bay staff scientists laud recent efforts to revitalize the L.A. River and to open up public access to recreational zones. However, water quality improvements are needed to expand these opportunities and protect public health.

The federal Army Corps of Engineers has an approved $1.3-billion plan to revitalize an 11-mile stretch of the river, focusing on habitat and recreational improvement. Heal the Bay strongly urges that rehabilitation work incorporate specific and measurable measures to enhance water quality.

The full report has a detailed list of recommendations for increasing beneficial uses while protecting public health. Among them:

• Swimming: While many families recreate in the water, particularly on hot days, adults and children should avoid swimming in the L.A. River, particularly submersing their heads under water. We envision a swimmable L.A. River one day but current water quality is not yet at a healthful level. If there is any water contact, rinse off with soap and water afterward.
• Kayaking and Angling: People should limit water contact, especially avoiding hand-to-face water contact. Users should not enter the water with an open wound, if immunocompromised, or after a rainfall. If there is water contact, rinse off with soap and water afterward.
• Public notification: All groups promoting recreation in the L.A. River should provide water quality information and best practices to all participants, using consistent, accurate and prominent information on all outreach materials, and in multiple languages, consistent with the demographics of visitors.
• Increased monitoring: The City of Los Angeles or responsible municipal agency should institute, at a minimum, weekly water quality testing for fecal indicator bacteria in the recreation zones during the open season (Memorial Day to the end of September), and at other known swimming spots along the Los Angeles River.

The City of Los Angeles recently convened a stakeholder workshop to discuss water quality issues in the L.A. River and specific near-term and long-term measures to ensure that the public is informed of water quality issues. We had a robust discussion about ways to minimize risk and to implement solutions to reduce chronic pollution. We are cautiously optimistic and look forward to working with the City to put these plans into motion.

At the regional level, Heal the Bay continues to advocate for funding for comprehensive water-quality improvement projects like increased stormwater capture and wastewater recycling. These measures would reduce polluted flow into our recreation zones while increasing local water supplies in a time of drought.

About Heal the Bay and the L.A. River

Heal the Bay has been monitoring water quality in streams and rivers since 1998 through our Stream Team program. In 2014 we initiated a pilot study to monitor human use and water quality of freshwater swimming spots in the Santa Monica Mountains, focusing on bacterial pollution and public health implications.

We are currently in our third summer of monitoring water quality in those swimming locations. Given Heal the Bay’s 25-year history of informing and educating beach-goers about beach water quality through our Beach Report Card, assessing the water quality of the Los Angeles River recreation zones was a natural next step.

Heal the Bay has a long history of work on the Los Angeles River; we have advocated for improved habitat, water quality, and recreation by weighing in on numerous policies and permits concerning the Los Angeles River such as TMDLs, the Recreational Use Reassessment (RECUR) study, permits for dredging and clearing vegetation, and other regulatory actions.

July 8, 2016 — Yesterday the Board of Supervisors voted to place the parks and open space funding measure on the ballot for this November – a crucial step in achieving our shared goals for access to clean, safe, water smart parks and open space across LA County! The measure will be a 1.5 cent per square foot tax levied annually – which means it will require a supermajority vote in November. $98 million dollars will be created by the tax, which will be managed by LA County’s Open Space District. There is a state measure moving through the legislature but local funding is key because it provides much needed maintenance money that the state bond will not.

Heal the Bay completed its 2015 strategic plan which included a new area of focus called Healthy Watersheds. To meet our new goal of connecting inland communities to their watersheds and to restore the vibrancy of our watersheds, Heal the Bay joined the #OurParks coalition with Trust for Public Land, Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust and The Nature Conservancy and many other groups to support the LA County Parks and Open Space measure. An unprecedented needs assessment illuminated $20 billion of needs across the county. The need for funding is urgent, since the last existing dedicated parks funding is set to expire in 2019.

Parks represent the vast majority of open space we have left in our dense, concrete laden watersheds. We have worked very closely with the Open Space District to ensure the grant programs within this funding measure will provide protection and opportunities for nature based solutions to our challenged water resources, including using parks to capture storm water, creating linear greenways along our rivers, and cool our cities – in addition to their traditional roles like creating safe places to play. This measure matched with future storm water funding will provide leverage for cities using parks to build projects to meet storm water quality mandates. The money can be used to:

• Protect clean water resources, including rivers and creeks
• Reduce gang activity and provide safe places to play
• Ensure drinking water is safe at park and recreation centers
• Remove asbestos, mold and lead paint from aging recreation centers
• Protect and preserve parks and natural areas
• Keep beaches open, clean and safe
• Supports funding for high need areas

It was disappointing to hear the opposition from the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce. When Gary Toebben, president, said “It’s pretty easy to have a cup of coffee when someone else is paying for it”, County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl replied, “You’ve had plenty of our cups of coffee.” She noted that commercial properties have received favorable treatment under Proposition 13, the property tax initiative approved by California voters in 1978.

What’s next? Click here to learn more about the campaign and final ballot language for the Safe Clean Neighborhood Parks, Open Space, Beaches, Rivers Protection and Water Conservation Measure.

June 23, 2016 — Oozing through the Hall Canyon in Ventura, a crude oil leak was spotted at 5:30 a.m. this morning headed toward the Pacific Ocean. The oil spill traveled over half a mile towards Ventura’s beaches and ocean before it was contained by Ventura County firefighters. Fortunately, reports indicate that the leak was stopped before hitting the water, which would have even more devastating ecological effects to our coast. With last year’s Refugio Oil Spill still fresh in our minds, there are a number of lessons learned regarding response and regulations we hope to see applied, to both prevent and minimize the environmental impacts of these oil spills.

Rapid response and containment is critical before oil reaches a waterway. Unfortunately, with so much oil infrastructure in California, the question isn’t if oil spills will happen, but when. The environmental impacts once oil is spilled are unavoidable, but if it reaches the ocean the cleanup and containment is nearly impossible, which makes those impacts much worse.

Spill size estimates are often incorrect or under-reported. The initial estimate of today’s spill was 5,000 barrels, which has since been reduced to 700 barrels –the equivalent of nearly 30,000 gallons. Unfortunately, initial spill size estimates are often low-balled. For a leak to be measured it must first be detected. Unfortunately these systems aren’t always functional. It’s imperative that close attention is provided in the review and determination of a final spill volume so that the responsible parties are held accountable for damages.

Oil spill response authorities should work with local entities to ensure that local knowledge is incorporated into spill response. Locals know their favorite spots best. They can help monitor progress on cleanups and any potential negative impacts afterwards, as well as ensure that cleanup efforts return natural resources back to baseline status.

Public outreach is critical. It’s important that the potential public health impacts associate with an oil spill are clearly communicated to the public, especially when oil is spilled in high-use areas like neighborhoods, trails and beaches. Air quality is currently being monitored in Ventura based upon noxious odors and concerns of crude vapors related to today’s spill.

Pipeline monitoring and maintenance is imperative to find and fix structural issues before they become problems. Pipeline infrastructure in the state is aging, putting our valuable natural resources at great risk. Last year in the aftermath of the Refugio oil spill, Governor Brown signed SB 295 into law, which requires annual pipeline inspections with State Fire Marshal oversight (previously they had been done every other year).

Oil pipeline operations should be improved to reduce the amount of oil spilled when there is a leak or rupture. This is especially true in ecologically sensitive areas such as riparian corridors and coastal watersheds. Leak detection, automatic shut-off systems, and other technologies are designed to minimize leakage during oil spills. SB 864 was passed and signed into law last year requiring oil companies operating in California to develop plans by 2018 for using such technologies to retrofit their pipelines by 2020.

Additional regulations and policies are still needed to help protect communities from noxious oil spills, including:

• Closing loopholes in the California Coastal Sanctuary Act that allow for slant drilling out into coastal waters. The CCSA was designed to prohibit new oil and gas leasing in state waters, but unfortunately a loophole exists in the state legislation that allows for oil and gas extraction in state-owned submerged lands if those lands are being drained from producing wells upon adjacent federal lands.
• State Lands Commission has authority over leasing of oil and gas operations in California. Heal the Bay has been encouraging this agency to prioritize identification, monitoring, and tracking of legacy sources of oil and gas in the environment including leaks, seeps, and abandoned wells. There are hundreds of abandoned wells in the Los Angeles region alone, which could be contributing to leaks and pollution. The State Lands Commission should work with relevant public and private entities to ensure such legacy sources are abated and cleaned up.

How you can help. It is important to resist the urge to participate in cleanup efforts. Oil is a hazardous liquid with toxic vapors, and needs to be removed with care. The best thing you can do is to report any abnormal amounts of oil to the National Response Center at 1-800-424-8802. Likewise, if you see any oiled wildlife, do not pick up or try to rescue the animal. Wildlife capture takes special training to prevent injury to the animal as well as the person. Please reported oiled wildlife you see to 1-877-UCD-OWCN and trained experts will respond.

For additional information on the Ventura County oil spill, you can check out the Los Angeles Times article.