Heal the Bay strongly disagrees with the use of Topanga Creek and the Will Rogers State Beach parking lot for the sorting and staging of hazardous waste. In January, Heal the Bay met with the EPA to obtain information and discuss our concerns. See our original January FAQ on the Topanga site to learn more. Since then, Heal the Bay has been hard at work advocating for the communities, ecosystems, and coastal waters impacted by this work.
Our February update is below.
UPDATE 2/11/2025
On February 8, 2025, Heal the Bay’s Associate Director of Science and Policy, Annelisa Moe, toured the EPA hazardous waste sorting and storage sites at Topanga Creek and Will Rogers State Beach with Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, the EPA, and FEMA. The pollution mitigation measures observed by Heal the Bay at the Topanga site caused concern as they did not seem adequate. While we continue to fight for the EPA to move operations to a safer location, our Science & Policy Team is also developing recommendations to strengthen mitigation measures to prevent contaminants from leaving the EPA sites and polluting our beaches, creeks, lagoon, and bay.
Let us be clear. Heal the Bay strongly disagrees with the use of Topanga Creek and Will Rogers State Beach parking lot for the sorting and staging of hazardous waste. We also recognize that the most dangerous situation is for hazardous waste to remain in the community, exposed to the elements, with few measures in place to prevent the contaminants from reaching the ocean. If the EPA does not move its operations to a more acceptable site, we demand that it implement stronger pollution mitigation and begin water quality testing at these sites.
Here is a timeline outlining Heal the Bay’s actions since the EPA designated the site.
January 28, 2025: We learned about the selection of Topanga Creek as the EPA/FEMA hazardous waste staging and sorting location and immediately requested a meeting with the EPA.
January 30, 2025: Heal the Bay met with EPA and learned that operations had already begun and that it was unlikely that EPA would elect to close the site and move operations elsewhere. We also learned that the Newsom Administration offered the Will Rogers State Beach and Topanga Creek sites because they are state-owned and met the basic criteria for a Phase 1 site. Additionally, we learned that EPA would need an additional 25 acres to stage and sort hazardous waste and that the state had offered Will Rogers State Beach, but it had been rejected due to opposition from City of LA officials.
Heal the Bay expressed that we strongly disagreed with the Topanga location and recommended that EPA explore the commercial area near the Palisades village.
February 2, 2025: Heal the Bay CEO Tracy Quinn began participating in a multi-agency Beach Cleanup and Restoration Taskforce with representatives from State and County agencies.
February 2, 2025: Tracy Quinn connected with Col. Brian Sawser from the US Army Corp of Engineers and provided input on appropriate locations for sorting and staging for Phase 2 debris removal.
February 3, 2025: Heal the Bay published an FAQ on the selection of Topanga Creek for the EPA Hazardous Waste site, and Tracy Quinn responded to questions from the public on Heal the Bay’s social media.
February 8, 2025: Annelisa Moe participated in a tour of both the Topanga and Will Rogers sites with Supervisor Horvath, the EPA, and FEMA.
February 9, 2025: Tracy toured the mudslide-prone areas in Palisades and Malibu and saw the EPA sites at Topanga and Will Rogers with Councilmember Traci Park.
Since Heal the Bay first learned that the EPA sites were chosen, Heal the Bay has been in communication with LA City Councilmember Traci Park, LA County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, Assembly Member Jacqui Irwin, Congressperson Laura Friedman, and staff from Senator Ben Allen’s and Assemblymember Rick Zbur’s offices. We have also met with members of the community concerned about the impacts of the fires and hazardous waste storage on their health and the health of our oceans.
Next Steps:
Heal the Bay continues to oppose using the beach locations for Phase 1 hazardous waste storage and develop recommendations to improve the mitigation measures to prevent contamination from leaving the EPA’s hazardous waste sites. We will continue to advocate for the affected coastal waters, ecosystems, and communities.
Heal the Bay strongly disagrees with the selection of State land in close proximity to Topanga Creek and Lagoon as the US EPA’s Palisades Fire hazardous material staging area, where materials will be sorted and repackaged before they are sent to permitted waste collection facilities. The site chosen is an area of cultural and ecological significance, and we stand with the surfers, swimmers, and local communities concerned about the potential for harm to this precious ecosystem.
UPDATE: January 31, 2025 – Initial Takeaways from the EPA Hazardous Waste Site at Topanga Beach & FAQ (below)
For the record, Heal the Bay was NOT consulted on the site selection ahead of time.
Soon after we learned about the site selection, we asked to meet with US EPA officials to express our concerns and learn what measures were being taken to protect Topanga Creek and Lagoon. That meeting occurred on Thursday, January 30, 2025, at 4:30 p.m.
At our meeting with EPA, we learned that operations have already begun on the Topanga site, reducing the likelihood that we can get EPA & FEMA to select a different location (although we still pushed). Between the Palisades and Eaton fires, this is the largest operation the EPA emergency response team has had to clean up since they began this work in 2015. In addition, they have been tasked by the current Federal Administration to complete the work in 30 days, a time constraint that has left the region with few options.
We are fighting to ensure that the EPA implements sufficient measures to prevent contaminants from coming into contact with the bare soils or leaving the site and impacting critical waterways. In addition to what the EPA has proposed (see EPA’s FAQ), Heal the Bay asks for water testing in Topanga Creek and Lagoon. We have also asked to be permitted access to the site to observe operations and the implementation of measures meant to prevent harmful chemicals from leaving the site. We are waiting to hear back on both of these.
Although we strongly disagree with the site EPA and FEMA have chosen, speedy removal of hazardous wastes from the burn areas IS ESSENTIAL. Right now, the hazardous waste in the burn areas is uncontained and exposed to the elements, with almost no measures in place to prevent it from being blown by the wind or entering our ocean when it rains again. There are no good choices here, but in our opinion, hazardous materials left exposed at burned structures pose a greater threat to water quality and ecosystem health than they will at an EPA sorting site where multiple containment measures are in place. If the EPA will not or cannot move the hazardous waste staging area from the Topanga location, we demand that they take extra precautions to prevent stormwater from running onto the site, contaminated runoff from leaving the site, and contaminated dust from being blown from the site into waterways. Please join us in asking for water quality sampling to be added to the BMP protocol.
Here are the biggest takeaways from our meeting with the EPA:
What does the EPA look for in a staging site?
When looking for a hazardous material staging site, the EPA team needs at least five acres of flat land located near a roadway suitable for trucks to enter and exit.
The EPA could not start cleaning efforts until a space was selected and prepared.
Why was Topanga Lagoon chosen as the site location?
EPA did recon with Cal Fire, and the Topanga Lagoon site met the basic logistical requirements for space and access. The state approved EPA use of the Topanga location.
According to the EPA, other proposed sites were either rejected by City of LA and LA County officials or already used by other emergency response teams.
Heal the Bay has requested a list of other sites considered by the EPA.
Will additional locations be needed to remove all of the hazardous waste entirely?
For the Palisades Fire response, EPA anticipates the need for more staging areas, maybe an additional 25 acres.
The EPA is currently searching for other staging areas, and Heal the Bay has requested to be part of that decision-making process.
What has taken place on the site to date?
The property was burned, so EPA cleared it of burned debris, then built berms around it and added straw wattles to prevent water from entering or leaving the site.
Secondary containment and plastic lining have been implemented to prevent direct contact of hazardous materials with the soils on site.
The EPA took soil samples before the cleanup activity commenced and will sample again once the cleanup activity is complete. (NOTE: Heal the Bay has requested a list of contaminants tested to ensure the sampling plan is sufficient).
The cleanup team monitors the air for particulates, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), radiation, and wind indicators for weather tracking.
The cleanup team has started electric car battery recovery for the Palisades area, de-energizing them in the Topanga staging area to be recycled.
What safety precautions will EPA take to protect the environment?
Heal the Bay asked about additional BMPs (Best Management Practices) for the expected rain. EPA Public Information Officer Rusty Harris-Bishop has agreed to update us as more information becomes available.
Heal the Bay has also requested that the EPA conduct water quality monitoring in the nearby creek and Lagoon.
The EPA has explained that they have not had any issues with staging areas in past emergencies, including the Lahaina fires.
When will they start accepting hazardous waste?
As of January 30, they have already started collecting lithium-ion batteries (from electric cars).
Larger-scale work is scheduled to begin January 31, 2025.
When will they be done?
This is a temporary staging area, and although the Palisades Fire was an unprecedented event, the plan is for the site work to be completed by the end of February 2025 (30 days).
Where will the hazardous waste be sent?
Materials are taken to the staging area to sort and re-pack for final shipping to permitted hazardous waste facilities that are in good standing.
The facilities have not been determined yet.
Determining specific locations will depend on what the EPA team finds and how much material is collected. Still, our understanding is that the waste will likely be transported out of state.
Can EPA move the staging to another location?
Attempting to move locations would cause delays in removing the hazardous waste from within the burn zone where it is currently exposed to the elements, which is the biggest concern.
What is more dangerous to the environment: Creating the staging area near an ecologically sensitive area or slowing removal?
Slowing down removal is likely more dangerous for the environment because there are few measures to prevent the waste in the burn areas from entering waterways and the ocean.
Is the EPA planning to test the water quality?
No water quality testing is planned.
Does Heal the Bay have water quality testing recommendations?
Yes, our Water Quality Team recommends that the EPA test for the following:
Chronic and Acute Toxicity
Basic water quality parameters (e.g., turbidity, pH, dissolved Oxygen, and temperature)
Total Suspended Solids
Heavy Metals (e.g., lead, arsenic, mercury, chromium and cadmium)
Volatile organic compounds (e.g., Benzene)
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
Oil and Grease
Total Organic Carbon
FIB (i.e., E. coli, total coliforms, and enterococcus)
Dioxins
Ammonium
Phosphates
Sulfates
Asbestos
Microplastics
Radionuclides
Has the EPA started a cleanup operation in response to the Eaton Fire?
They have started cleanup operations in Eaton.
Will Heal the Bay continue to monitor the situation at Topanga Lagoon?
Yes, and Heal the Bay will continue to push for the opportunity to conduct a site visit in the coming days to observe the BMPs in action.
The latest news about the Palisades fire and its impact on ocean-water quality and beach access in L.A. County.
During natural disasters, residents seek three things: community support, goodwill, and up-to-date information. To that end, Los Angeles County leaders invited Heal the Bay science and outreach staff to attend an emergency meeting Thursday morning at the Palisades Fire incident command center at Zuma Beach.
Department officials from L.A. County Fire and Beaches & Harbors asked Heal the Bay to help disseminate accurate updates to the public about how the catastrophic fires affect beach access and ocean water quality.
Here’s what we learned:
Stay away from burn zones and evacuated areas in the Palisades, Topanga, and Malibu areas.
Residents and those who love these areas are naturally curious about the status of homes, commercial structures, and favorite natural places. Command officials understand that people want to return to the areas as soon as possible. However, public safety dictates that fire and evacuation zones remain off-limits until emergency crews clear neighborhoods of downed power lines, roadway debris, lingering hot spots, and other hazards. Officials were unable to give a timetable for when residents may return or when PCH will reopen, but a brief tour by Heal the Bay staff indicates it will be weeks until residents can go back.
There is no public access to any L.A. County beaches in the fire or evacuation zones, roughly north of the Santa Monica Pier to County Line.
If you are a surfer looking to score empty waves, don’t even think about it. Multiple National Guard checkpoints are in place, ensuring that only emergency responders, utility workers, media, and essential workers are allowed on PCH. If you think you might be able to talk your way past checkpoints to tour impacted areas, you are mistaken. All beach parking lots from Will Rogers to Zuma are unavailable to the public, as they are being used as staging areas for emergency crews. All other beaches in L.A. County remain open to the public. But caution is urged, given compromised air quality along County shorelines.
Avoid water contact at any beaches from Malibu’s Surfrider Beach to Dockweiler State Beach near LAX.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has issued an ocean advisory that warns residents to avoid any water contact at these beaches. The firestorms and efforts to beat them down have created massive amounts of runoff, which may contain toxic chemicals and dangerous debris. All that polluted water eventually sloughs off to the Bay. The advisory will remain in effect until three days after fire-fighting operations end.
As of Thursday morning, the Palisades Fire was only 22% contained. Heal the Bay has not determined yet if the County’s Public Health unit will be posting warning signs at impacted beaches. To view a map of impacted locations and get more information, click here. We advise the public to visit Heal the Bay’s Beach Report Card to get updated information on beaches, as well as the Department of Public Health to learn about the latest water-quality details.
Water quality testing of local beaches will continue at sites that are still accessible to sampling agencies.
Water quality samples for fecal indicator bacteria are collected and tested by three government agencies every week at 85 sites in Los Angeles County. Once the results have been processed (after 24 hours), the public is notified when a beach exceeds pollution standards by warnings, advisories, or closures of the affected beaches. These weekly samples form the basis of Heal the Bay’s weekly A-to-F Beach Report Card.
Due to the fires, access to some beaches has been restricted, and some water-quality sampling has been interrupted until further notice. However, local departments will continue their testing to the best of their ability, including many of the 41 beaches where the Department of Public Health has advised beach users to avoid water contact—assuming these sites remain accessible in the weeks to come.
Water quality testing needs to expand beyond monitoring fecal bacteria to include testing for heavy metals, PCBs, nitrates, and other harmful compounds.
Water quality degradation following a fire varies greatly depending on the intensity and duration of the fire and the characteristics of the affected ecosystem. One of the primary effects is the alteration of vegetation coverage, which reduces the natural barriers that slow water runoff after a storm event. This leads to increased soil erosion and sediment transportation into nearby water bodies.
Rainfall can exacerbate these effects by compacting the soil and increasing overland flow, amplifying erosion and pollutant transport. With many homes, businesses, cars, and other manufactured items burning so close to the coast, we are particularly concerned about sediment, trash, and debris washing into the ocean.
During our tour, Heal the Bay staff saw hundreds of burned-out structures on the ocean side of PCH, with high tide waves surging within feet of the twisted, charred wreckage. Sediment can contain high levels of nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen that, in excess, are harmful to marine ecosystems and can create algal blooms. They may also contain chemicals, heavy metals, and other harmful substances that burned in the fires. Recent reports indicate that the presence of so much plastic in modern homes has significantly contributed to more toxic infernos.
Heal the Bay does not have the capacity to conduct any water quality testing aside from compiling bacterial data and informing the public when it is safe to enter the water.UPDATE 1/30/2025
Not only did we test for bacteria and turbidity (which we can process in-house), but we also collected samples to test for Heavy metals, Mercury, PAHs/PCBs, Benzene, and PFOS/PFOA (two types of PFAS). We collected samples before and after the rain event on January 26, 2025, which will provide a comparative analysis of initial pollutant levels and stormwater runoff effects.
The Palisade Fire has increased sedimentation and introduced harmful pollutants into our coastal waters, and Heal the Bay is dedicated to understanding the impacts, which is why we are testing for key pollutants that may be transported into Santa Monica Bay due to runoff from the Palisade Fire.
We strongly urge the County of L.A. and any other municipalities to test for the presence of additional contaminants, such as heavy metals, PCBs, nitrates, and other unhealthy compounds. These pollutants can be harmful to humans and aquatic species, and given the extensive firefighting that has occurred directly adjacent to the coastline, these pollutants will be present for months to come.
In theinterview below with USA Today, Annelisa Moe, Associate Director of Science, Policy, and Water Quality, discusses some of the long-term risks to coastal ecosystems and water quality.
We will continue to provide water quality information each week on the BRC website, so beach users and freshwater recreational users can make informed decisions.
Note: We will continue to consult with County officials on a daily basis to update this post. We will send alerts on our social media platforms when we receive new information about water quality, public health and beach access.
Heal the Bay achieved significant accomplishments in 2024 in safeguarding our waters, preserving biodiversity, and raising awareness about the importance of environmental conservation. Through our collective efforts and with your unwavering support, we worked tirelessly to create cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable coastal waters and watersheds for Los Angeles and beyond from summit to sea. As we reflect on the achievements of this past year, we are thrilled to carry this momentum into the coming year, always aiming to make a lasting difference. Celebrate them with us!
2024 Highlights
Our expertise was sought after, and our work was celebrated.
In 2024, Heal the Bay was honored for decades of commitment to the environment.
Heal the Bay was selected as a 2024 California Nonprofit of the Year by Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin of District 42 in recognition of nearly four decades of accomplishments and “outstanding contributions to the communities and environment” we serve.
The 4th Annual Heal the Bay One Water symposium was convened at Lewis Macadams Riverfront Park, establishing Heal the Bay as a thought leader among civil engineers, water conservation experts, and local, county, and state legislators.
Heal the Bay continued its work on the LA28 Environmental Sustainability Committee for the 2028 Summer Olympics to ensure the games are the most sustainable yet and leave a legacy of environmental stewardship in the region.
Heal the Bay played a pivotal role in successfully advancing policies and legislation to improve water quality, affordability, and coastal ecosystems and ensure a more sustainable Los Angeles region and climate-resilient California.
In response to advocacy from Heal the Bay, the LA Regional Board recently approved more stringent regulation of surface water runoff from the highly contaminated Boeing Santa Susana Field Lab site. Boeing immediately filed a legal petition opposing the new regulations. Heal the Bay is engaging in this lawsuit as an interested party in support of the Regional Board.
Heal the Bay co-authored the Vision 2045 Report with NRDC and Los Angeles Waterkeeper and shared it with LA County decisionmakers tasked with overseeing the ambitious Safe, Clean, Water Program (SCWP). This collaborative “vision” laid out a roadmap of bolder goals, and recommendations to more quickly and definitively reach 2045 SCWP targets and is now being used as a resource by LA County for the SCWP Watershed Planning Efforts.
Big trouble for Big Plastic
Recognizing the urgent need to combat plastic pollution, Heal the Bay continues impactful environmental policy work and campaigns to amplify sustainable practices. For several years, staff has worked with LA City and County to help create legislation to break the harmful plastic cycle. We took significant steps toward a plastic-free future by advocating for reducing single-use plastics and promoting responsible waste management.
We sued Big Plastic! Heal the Bay took historic legal action and joined a coalition of leading environmental groups to file a lawsuit against ExxonMobil, the world’s largest producer of single-use plastic polymers. California’s Attorney General also filed a similar lawsuit today.
Heal the Bay advocacy supported major wins for state and local plastics regulation this year, including the passage of SB 1053, which removes ALL plastic film bags from checkout counters at convenience stores and grocery stores across the state by 2026 and increases the minimum recycled content requirements for paper bags to 50%.
In 2024, Heal the Bay made big waves for the environment by advocating for the unanimous approval of the Environmental Impact Report for the City of LA’s Comprehensive Plastics Reduction Program.This means that in the next 6 months, we could have powerful new legislation in the City of LA to really reduce plastics, and Heal the Bay will be right there alongside key decision-makers to ensure success.
It Takes a Very Large Village
This year Heal the Bay volunteers made massive waves of change.
In 2024, more than 24,900 Heal the Bay volunteerscollected over 24,000 pounds of trash and contributed 71,048 hours to protecting our precious watershed and coastal waters!
In September, Heal the Bay mobilized 6,600 volunteers on Coastal Cleanup Day, removing 18,269 pounds of trash (including 429 pounds of recyclables) from greater Los Angeles coastlines and waterways.
This year Heal the Bay Aquarium welcomed 59 new volunteers, and a total of 128 volunteers completed and served 5,494 hours at the Aquarium.
Environmental Health IS Public Health
In 2024, Heal the Bay continued its relentless commitment to ocean water and freshwater quality from summit to sea.
Our annual Beach Report Card remains the gold standard for water quality reporting, providing access to the latest water quality information based on levels of fecal-indicator bacterial pollution in the ocean at over 700 beaches. For more than 30 years, our annual report has assigned “A-to-F” letter grades and ranked the “Best and Bummer” lists across beaches from Washington State to Tijuana, Mexico.
The annual River Report Card was also released, ranking freshwater quality and providing grades for 35 freshwater recreation areas in Los Angeles County tested during the summer of 2023. This summer 14 students from colleges across Southern California joined Heal the Bay the Stream Team internship program – our biggest cohort yet! These two programs are at the forefront of our efforts to keep LA’s waters safe and enjoyable for all.
Conservation and Marine Protection Are Key to Our Mission
Heal the Bay reaffirmed its commitment to biodiversity through both volunteer activations and the tireless efforts of our husbandry, operations, and education Aquarium teams.
Heal the Bay Aquarium plays a pivotal role in species conservation through research, breeding programs, and public awareness campaigns. In 2024, four Swell sharks, dozens of Pacific Sandollars, Giant Spine Sea Stars, Bay Pipefish, and hundreds of Moon jellies were born at the aquarium. Our animal care team released seven protected and rehabilitated marine animals, including keystone species like Swell sharks and Leopard sharks, into Santa Monica Bay. By releasing these animals back into the wild, Heal the Bay continues its mission to protect and support the biodiversity of wild fish populations.
As part of our commitment to successful conservation efforts, Heal the Bay Aquarium continued its work with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Wildlife Trafficking Alliance. As an official member of the US Fish & Wildlife Department’s Wildlife Confiscation Network pilot program, the aquarium is certified to care for the well-being of wildlife confiscated from illegal trade.
Heal the Bay’s Science and Policy Team successfully lead public meetings to educate Californian’s on the impacts of DDT on public health and biodiversity.
They were also featured as experts in the Los Angeles Times documentary “Out of Plain Sight.”.
As a watchdog for Marine Protected Areas, Heal the Bay’s MPA Team is actively contributing and analyzing critical data on California’s first decade-long review that began in 2023. One of the biggest conclusions of the review highlighted the fact that protecting these precious estuaries for the past decade has worked, allowing for flourishing biodiversity, larger populations, and bigger individual animals in these safeguarded areas.
Environmental Equity and Inclusion are pillars of Environmental Health
This year, Heal the Bay continued to advocate for communities that experience the worst systemic and often immediate impacts of environmental injustice and climate change.
After 10 years of effort by Heal the Bay Outreach, Inell Woods Park, a first-of-its-kind stormwater park, is complete in the Compton Creek watershed. This pocket park will provide green space to an underserved community. The ribbon cutting is estimated for early 2025, highlighting the connection between communities, green space, and health.
Environmental Education, Outreach and Sharing our Passion to Protect What We Love
Education remained a cornerstone of our mission. In 2024, Heal the Bay expanded our outreach program, teaching schools and communities to understand the importance of environmental conservation and the role each individual can play.
Educational efforts continued to inspire and inform diverse audiences through innovative approaches and interactive science-based programs. The Heal the Bay Aquarium Education Team sponsored 247 field trips and welcomed 11,668 enthusiastic students from 22 school districts in LA County, including 85 students from Title 1 schools.
This year, “Coastal Cleanup Education Day” at the Aquarium hosted more than 118 3rd-6th grade students from across Los Angeles County for a day of beach exploration, scientific excursions, education, and hands-on learning while having fun in the sun.
In 2024, Heal the Bay built a blue economy, providing professional training on sustainable aquaculture practices in partnership with Santa Monica College. This program not only empowers future environmentalists with hands-on job training, but it has also allowed Heal the Bay Aquarium to lead a program that has put them on track to achieve 90% sustainability through aquaculture and animal donation within the next five years.
Speakers Bureau and Beach Programs (through the Adopt a Beach Program) gave 195 talks this year to educate the public on all Heal the Bay’s amazing and impactful work.
Cheers to 2024
As we look back on 2024, Heal the Bay celebrates a year of accomplishments, resilience, and collaboration. These achievements underscore the collective efforts of our dedicated team, volunteers, and supporters who positively impact the health of our oceans and coastal ecosystems.
Here’s to a future with even more significant strides toward a sustainable and thriving planet!
Looking to the Future with 2025 in our sights
In 2025, Heal the Bay will celebrate its 40th Anniversary, marking four decades of dedicated environmental work. Since its founding, the organization has been a powerful advocate for clean water, coastal protection, and environmental justice across California. Through education, outreach, and policy efforts, Heal the Bay has significantly improved local ecosystems, making beaches, rivers, and communities safer and healthier. The organization remains committed to addressing climate change, promoting sustainability, and protecting the region’s natural beauty for future generations. Thank you to all our supporters, both past and present.
Thank you for all our supporters both past and present.
Freshwater sites in L.A. County suffer from fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) pollution, indicating harmful pathogens that can lead to serious illness. FIB pollution often stems from urban runoff, illegal discharges, and leaks from failing wastewater systems. In response to the lack of publicly available information, Heal the Bay launched monitoring efforts in 2014, culminating in the River Report Card (RRC) in 2017, to keep freshwater sites safe for recreation.
The RRC offers free, weekly water quality grades for 35 freshwater recreation sites, providing essential information to safeguard public health. In addition to these weekly updates, Heal the Bay releases an annual report each summer.
The program also supports local students through the Stream Team initiative, which trains participants in field and lab techniques to prepare them for STEM careers. Since its inception, 57 students have contributed to monitoring efforts, expanding from Malibu Creek State Park to the L.A. River Watershed and beyond, including storm drain testing in the Elysian Valley, where dry weather urban runoff enters the river via storm drains. This initiative aims to identify and address potential sources of contamination that could impact water quality in the L.A. River and surrounding environments.
2024 Lower LA River Stream Team (from left to right: Vina Rose Matias, Emily Uy, Danny Herrera, Zaria Alam, and Ellie Garcia)
Summer 2024 Recap
Heal the Bay welcomed 14 students from colleges across Southern California for the Stream Team internship this summer. Over 16 weeks, the team collected over 150 water samples and evaluated nearly 700 water quality grades, revealing trends at 35 testing locations monitored by HTB, SGRMP, and LA Environment and Sanitation (LASAN). Grades this summer were similar to past summers, with sites higher in the watershed, such as the San Gabriel River locations, receiving better grades and sites lower in the watershed, such as the lower L.A. River, receiving worse grades.
In addition to hands-on training, interns engaged in science communication, writing blog posts about their experiences, and participating in community events like the Friends of the Los Angeles River Festival. They also learned about career opportunities in environmental science from guest speakers and researchers at the EPA, LA Water Quality Control Board, and U.C. Riverside.
Heal the Bay monitors water quality through these efforts and cultivates the next generation of environmental stewards. For the latest grades, visit the River Report Card website. A full report will be available early next year.
Stream Team members Blaire Edwards and Kate Medrano are sampling at Los Angeles River at Benedict St.
2024 Upper LA River Stream Team (from left to right: Sanam Viliani, Lyanne Fernandez, David Martinez, Kate Medrano, Blaire Edwards, Vicente Villaseñor)
2024 Malibu Creek Stream Team (from left to right: Blaire Edwards, Alejandra Miranda, Amy Flores, Thais Arata)
Students provided insight on their favorite sections of the LA River:
“My favorite part of the LA River is the Lower LA River. It’s definitely not the cleanest, as illustrated in the grades these sites often receive, and not the most visually appealing. However, I find it’s incredibly diverse with both flora and fauna. The bird species in particular, especially at Willow, were always abundant. There was definitely a lack of human activity most likely due to sanitation and lack of aesthetics for recreational use, but that didn’t stop the river from doing its job for the other inhabitants of LA. I especially liked collecting field data at Willow because it was a hotspot for a variety of shorebirds.” – Ellie Garcia, Lower LA River Team
“My favorite part of the L.A. River is around Frogtown. There are a lot of people walking around, biking, enjoying nature, and the businesses adjacent to the river. I also appreciated how busy the area is throughout the day. We usually start at 8 AM and end at 12 PM collecting samples and the area is never quiet or empty.” – Vicente Villasenor, Upper LA River Team
“My favorite part of the LA River is how quickly it can change. The one I’d see change significantly every week was Sepulveda Basin, making it my favorite sampling site. Every week I noticed it became lusher than it had been the first time we visited the site.” – Kate Medrano, Upper LA River Team.
Students also shared what they learned about these urban waterways and water quality testing, and the importance of this water to the communities of humans and other species who live in and around the river:
“I learned more about how the river is an essential part for the community. I understood already that the river is important for wildlife. If its quality goes down, it has a domino effect on the environment. This season I learned that the domino effect also affects the community. I used to view the lower LA river as a sewage line, but while taking samples this season, I seen that it is also used for recreation. For example, people run, ride their bikes, and walk their dogs along the river. People also bird watch. I believe this further brings reason on why we need policy to protect this river and make it better. It’s vital in uplifting our community further.” – Vina Rose Matias, Lower LA River Team
“As a second-year intern, I was already quite familiar with the sampling process. However, this season we accounted for the different bird species present in the Lower LA River in our field data. I learned more about the migration patterns of native and non-native birds that call LA home and experienced the visual difference of biodiversity that came along with this. With this, I learned just how important the LA river is to these migratory birds. It acts almost like a home base for those that nest in this area. My most interesting finding had to be the Egyptian Geese we ran into during the end of our sampling season. They were very vocal, very colorful, and a bit too bold with people! They got a little too close while during sampling in Willow, which was interesting!” – Ellie Garcia, Lower LA River Team
Impact
Heal the Bay has maintained strong partnerships with the State Water Resource Control Board’s Clean Water Team, Los Angeles Trade Technical College, and California State University Long Beach. These collaborations have expanded our programs, providing essential laboratory resources and expertise while actively recruiting students for our Stream Team. This initiative equips students with practical skills and empowers them as future environmental leaders.
UC Riverside graduate researcher John Perna explains to the Stream Team how microplastics collection and research is completed along the LA River.
Through our partnerships, Heal the Bay improves understanding of water quality issues and advocates for public health measures. Our data collection has led to enhanced monitoring by LASAN and the establishment of a dedicated webpage by the L.A. County Department of Public Health for freshwater recreation areas.
Heal the Bay continues to push for legislation that mandates comprehensive water quality testing at freshwater sites, similar to existing beach testing standards. In 2021, we took a significant step forward with the successful sponsorship of AB 1066, which aims to establish a statewide water quality monitoring program at freshwater recreation areas.
From the desk of the Heal the Bay Water Quality Team.
Heal the Bay recently hosted the Sacred Places Institute for Indigenous Peoples for a day of hands-on water quality testing and training to share our knowledge on the contaminants in LA’s freshwater, test for pollutants, and assess the ecosystem to protect public health. This partnership combined scientific methods with Indigenous traditions, creating a captivating day of cross-organizational knowledge sharing that promised to unveil new insights and foster a more profound respect for diverse perspectives.
Incorporating Indigenous perspectives is so important when it comes to environmental science. Indigenous communities and organizations often possess deep, localized knowledge of their environment, including an intricate understanding of water systems and changes over time. This legacy knowledge can significantly enhance the accuracy and completeness of water quality data and is an opportunity to learn more about the cultural and spiritual values of the area’s original inhabitants, and to help see water as more than just a resource.
Diving into the Current
Following an insightful morning filled with presentations and lively discussions, we convened at Malibu Creek State Park to measure the water’s turbidity, temperature, and other environmental factors. We donned our signature “Stream Team” boots and protective gear to wade “knee-deep” into the process of assessing the creek’s water quality. It was the perfect opportunity to put theory into practice and to demonstrate firsthand how water quality impacts our environment.
Heal the Bay staff shared insights into our Stream Team’s process to tests for fecal indicator bacteria, explaining how these pollutants signal ecosystem and public health risks and how this science informs both our Beach Report Card and River Report Card. Members of Sacred Places Institute shared the historical and cultural significance of water, reflecting on Indigenous water stewardship in the LA area, past and present, and highlighted the ongoing work to restore urban waterways.
At Las Virgenes Creek, before we started our fieldwork, Sacred Places Institute’s Land, Water, and Climate Justice Director Jessa Calderon (of the Tongva, Chumash, and Yoeme Nations) began with a prayer to honor nature. She sought permission to collect a water sample and waited for the land and water to indicate consent—an important step in ensuring that our work was in harmony with the environment. With no signs of refusal from the land, we proceeded to collect water samples. This approach underscores the importance of integrating Indigenous perspectives into water quality testing programs, where the land isn’t just a resource, but a partner in the process.
Reflecting on the training, Sacred Places Institute said: “Participating in the Heal the Bay water quality testing training validated the continued need for local and state stringent water policy regulations and enforcement as one way to keep waterways free from industrial development contamination and stormwater runoff. Moreover, it reinforced the need for water back to local Native Nations as the inherent guardians of local waterways and as an effort to reintroduce the traditional caretaking knowledge for water as a means to help bring it back to balance.”
Back to the Lab Again
After collecting samples, we headed back to the Heal the Bay lab. Tests revealed low E. coli levels but elevated Enterococci and total coliforms, which are other types of bacteria found in the intestines of humans and animals. While E. coli levels were low and typically a primary concern for water contamination, the elevated levels of Enterococci and total coliforms suggest that there may still be a potential health risk for people who come into contact with the water. These bacteria are indicators of fecal contamination, which could pose a risk of illness, especially if someone swallows contaminated water or has open cuts.
The Why Behind the Work
We were honored to be able to share our knowledge and learn so much from our long time partners at Sacred Places Institute. By blending our scientific methods and Indigenous knowledge, we deepen our understanding and strengthen Heal the Bay’s commitment to safe, clean water for all. Support our mission to protect LA’s waterways.
Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant near El Segundo. Photo by Brittany Murray via LA Waterkeeper
Heal the Bay is encouraged that the City of Los Angeles has agreed to pay $20.8 million to make much-needed improvements at its Hyperion Water Reclamation Facility, the site of the 2021 sewage spill that saw 12.5 million gallons of untreated wastewater discharged to Santa Monica Bay.
Three years have passed since the significant spill at the Hyperion Treatment Plant, Los Angeles’ oldest and largest wastewater facility. Since the incident, Heal the Bay has been dedicated to collaborating with LA City Public Works and Sanitation, along with various agencies and organizations, to ensure that any issues within the plant’s system are swiftly addressed. Our ongoing efforts aim to safeguard the health and safety of Hyperion’s workers, the general public, and the environment. For details on Heal the Bay’s initial findings and subsequent recommendations, click here.
Approximately $20 million will be used to rectify ongoing operational issues recently identified by a Technical Advisory Group to ensure that the facility can safely treat wastewater even during large rain events. Those challenges will be exacerbated in the decades to come as climate impacts worsen and we see more frequent and more intense storms. Tracy Quinn, Heal the Bay’s CEO, served on the Technical Advisory Group.
The City of Los Angeles is still negotiating a settlement with the state’s Regional Water Quality Control Board over the massive 2021 spill. We are urging the Regional Board to impose meaningful fines that can be directed toward environmental projects to address the harm caused by discharge. Any fines should also be used to invest in technology that moves the City closer to producing potable recycled water instead of dumping treated wastewater uselessly into the sea. Stay tuned for further updates.
Over 30,000 gallons of raw sewage discharged unintentionally into Ballona Creek and then into the ocean on May 8-9. The spill forced full closures along Dockweiler Beach and Venice Beach, two of the most popular shoreline spots in greater L.A.
The culprit was root blockage in a main sewer line in West Hollywood. Over time, tree roots can infiltrate sewer pipes causing them to clog or break. A sewer main is a publicly owned pipeline, typically located under a street, that collects waste from numerous homes and businesses and transports it to a wastewater treatment facility. Based on the spill report from the State Office of Emergency Services, it appears that the sewage blocked up in West Hollywood, spilled onto the street, and entered a storm drain, which eventually made its way to Ballona Creek and out to the ocean.
How much icky stuff reached the sea?
According to the most report from California Integrated Water Quality System Project (CIWQS), it was revealed that a staggering 31,763 gallons of sewage were discharged from this residence, significantly surpassing the initial estimate of 14,400 gallons, which was the amount widely reported in the media.
What damage can these spills do to humans and the ecosystem?
Raw sewage is very dangerous to people and wildlife, as it contains bacteria, viruses, and can carry a variety of diseases. There is also debris in raw sewage, such as wipes, tampons and other personal health items. When released into waterways and the ocean, the waste and debris can harbor bacteria or be ingested by animals. Sewage is made up primarily of organic matter that is food for smaller organisms at the bottom of the food chain like algae. A large discharge of sewage can lead to algal blooms that can deplete oxygen in the water, possibly leading to fish kills and impacts to aquatic organisms and ecosystems. Discharges of sewage can also increase the cloudiness of water, smothering species or impacting the amount of light that can pass through the water for photosynthetic organisms.
Did some media overplay this story?
A recent Los Angeles Magazine article “Beach Residents are Sick of the Crap”, made a link between the recent sewage spill from Ballona Creek and reports of “dead fish and birds” and sick surfers in the area. Heal the Bay takes sewage spills and threats to public and environmental health very seriously. But we pride ourselves on being a science-based organization and we question whether this assertion is backed up with robust data. It is tempting to use anecdotal evidence to indicate causation, but to effect change we must rely on good data to back up our advocacy. Recently there have been increased reports of starving and sick pelicans, but these reports preceded the latest sewage spill. We don’t have enough evidence to conclude that the impacts on fish and birds are related to sewage spills. Researchers and advocates must continue to identify the reasons why pelicans are starving while also working to stop sewage spills and protect public health.
Heal the Bay got its start nearly 40 years ago by making sure raw sewage didn’t get released into local waters. Why do we still see these discharges happen?
Heal the Bay’s first fight was to stop partially treated sewage from being discharged into the Santa Monica Bay from the Hyperion Wastewater Treatment Plant. Hyperion now treats wastewater to a much higher degree and, when everything functions properly, we actually aren’t concerned about bacteria or viruses being discharged into the ocean. But climate change is already impacting our sewer systems; as we see more intense storms, some of that water is finding its way into sewer pipes, scouring the debris that gets stuck in our pipes, mostly wipes, which can overwhelm our treatment plants. Hyperion isn’t designed for these intense storm events, and in fact, hasn’t had a major overhaul since Heal the Bay pushed them to 40-years ago. We have other concerns about treatment plants too — like the discharge of treated water, which can be recycled and reused, and the discharge of nutrients into the ocean, which is exacerbating impacts of ocean acidification and warming. And we know that major spills from treatment plants can and do still happen, like we saw in 2021 at Hyperion.
Spills that happen outside of treatment plants from sewer pipelines are often due to aging infrastructure. Pipes don’t last forever and maintenance and replacement are required. According to a statement that Director and General Manager of LA Sanitation & Environment Barbara Romero gave to Los Angeles City Council, approximately one-third of the city’s pipelines have exceeded the 90-year mark. Typically, sewer pipes are designed with a lifespan ranging from 50 to 100 years. Given that the majority of Los Angeles’ sewer infrastructure predates 1950, it’s evident that a significant portion is approaching the end of its operational lifespan. As a region, we must invest in and prioritize infrastructure repair and replacement. That will likely mean higher utility rates. As we make repairs, we must also be forward-thinking of the current changing climate and what’s to come, planning for opportunities to maximize water recycling and readying for larger and more intense but less frequent rainfall.
Was this a one-off event or should we be worried about an increased amount of spills in the future?
Unfortunately, discharges happen periodically but they vary widely in volume and whether the sewage actually reaches a waterway – namely a river or the ocean.
Major sewage spills are fairly rare, but we have had some big ones in the last three years. In July 2021, Hyperion had a major failure and discharged 12.5 million gallons of sewage to the ocean from its outfall pipe that discharges one mile into the ocean. The proposed fine of $27 million by the Water Board is still being negotiated by the City of LA. In December 2021, 8.5 million gallons of sewage was discharged into the Dominguez Channel from an overflow in an LA County Sanitation Districts pipeline. LA County paid a fine of $6 million for this spill and 14 others, with much of the fine returning to fund a local stormwater park to benefit the community. The LA Magazine article incorrectly attributed this spill to the City of LA, when in fact it was the County of LA.
However, smaller sewage spills are not an uncommon occurrence regionally. Sewage spills are tracked by the state which is where Heal the Bay pulls data to look at trends over time. Over the last 10 years (2014-2023), there have been a total of 3,174 spill cases resulting in 30,521,025 gallons of sewage in LA County, with around half of that amount reaching surface waters.
The number of spills actually shows a decreasing trend over the last 10 years (see chart below), but there is not a clear trend when we look at volume spilled over time. Clearly, we see spikes in years when there were major spills. Obtaining data on spills is not easy or user-friendly and the data itself is not perfect. The graphs below actually don’t have the 2021 Hyperion spill in them due to that data being listed differently by agencies.
What’s the difference between sewers and storm drains?
We must remember not to confuse the sewer and storm drain systems, which are separate in Los Angeles. Waste from inside homes and businesses enters the sewer system and is treated before being discharged into the sea. Meanwhile, rain and daily urban runoff (sprinklers, hosing down sidewalks, washing a car in the street) enters our storm drain system. That daily runoff, which can amount to 10 million gallons in greater LA even on a dry day, is not cleaned and enters waterways and the ocean directly.
The LA Magazine article conflates the two, describing “pools of raw sewage [that] puddle in heavily traveled areas, like the beach in front of Santa Monica’s Shutters and Casa del Mar hotels.” These two hotels sit near the outfall of the Pico-Kenter storm drain, which drains major portions of Los Angeles and Santa Monica. During storms, Pico-Kenter funnels huge amounts of trash and toxins to the beach and ocean. The puddles described by LA Mag were very unlikely to be raw sewage and much more likely to be stormwater runoff, which is typically filled with unsightly trash and bacteria which can cause illness but is less of a health concern than raw sewage.
Who is responsible for maintaining the sewer system?
Lateral lines are privately owned and connect homes and businesses to the public system. Homeowners and business owners are responsible for maintaining and cleaning those lines, which are known to get clogged and impacted from tree roots. Regular maintenance is key to preventing problems and sewage leaks and spills from lateral lines. Blockages can also be prevented by all of us by not flushing anything down the toilet except toilet paper and waste. That means no wipes (even if they’re flushable), tampons, condoms, plastic, needles, or anything else. And for sinks, that means no fats, oils, and grease, which can clog pipes as well.
LA County Sanitation Districts’ service area covers 78 cities and the unincorporated areas within the County (824 square miles); the City of LA is responsible for more than 6,700 miles of sewers. Finally, the wastewater ends up at wastewater treatment or water reclamation plants.
The City of LA operates four plants: Donald C. Tillman Water Reclamation Plant, Los Angeles Glendale Water Reclamation Plant, Terminal Island Water Reclamation Plant, and Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant. The County of LA operates 11 wastewater treatment facilities, the largest being the A.K. Warren Water Resource Facility (formerly known as Joint Water Pollution Control Plant) in Carson.
Are the various agencies and municipalities doing all that they can to prevent these spills?
The City and County of LA recognize the need for maintenance, upgrades, and replacement of aging infrastructure. Staff is also focused on improving systems and processes for detecting, responding to, and notifying the public of spills.
Heal the Bay and our partner non-profit organizations meet regularly with leadership at LA County Sanitation Districts and we appreciate their transparency as well taking accountability for spills and reinvesting in local communities. The scale of the problem for LA City and LA County is huge in terms of identifying and prioritizing areas in need of repair across 17,000 miles of sewer pipes.
What is Heal the Bay doing to make sure these spills don’t happen in the future? How are you holding dischargers accountable?
Heal the Bay is dedicated to protecting public health and making sure that spills don’t happen in the future by:
Advocating for:
Increased transparency and commitments from LASAN and LACSD as well as the Department of Public Health on coordination, rapid testing, and rapid notification of the public when there is a sewage spill, especially major ones that could have an impact on public health.
Appropriate fines when there are spills and requiring those fines to be invested in local communities that were impacted and water quality improvement projects
Funding for City and County of LA to make necessary upgrades to infrastructure through local, state, and federal funding as well as through rate increases
Heal the Bay supports the recently proposed sewer rate increases by LA Bureau of Sanitation & Environment as it must address aging infrastructure and keep up with inflation, the agency’s needs, and our new climate reality.
Implementation of the recommendations in the report from the 2021 sewage spill at Hyperion
Educating residents on actions they can take to prevent sewage clogs and spills.
Informing the public when there is a spill as a trusted voice in the community through our social media, blogs, and the Beach Report Card and River Report Card.
How can residents support those efforts?
If you’re a homeowner or business owner, maintain your lateral sewer lines.
Heal the Bay and Wishtoyo Chumash Foundation have been collaborating to reduce impacts to the Santa Clara River Estuary from the Ventura Water Reclamation Facility since 2011, following a legal settlement (consent decree) with the City of Ventura. After more than a decade of scientific studies, bureaucratic negotiations, infrastructure planning, and a lengthy permitting process, we are excited that the VenturaWaterPure project is moving forward. The project will provide a net benefit to the estuary by reducing discharge of treated wastewater from the facility, which has a multitude of negative impacts on water and habitat quality in the estuary.
The Santa Clara River Estuary outlet to the ocean
The Ventura Water Reclamation facility
On December 15, 2024, Heal the Bay joined our consent decree partners along with Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Water and Science Michael Brain, to celebrate this water recycling and ecosystem restoration project.
Heal the Bay’s Associate Director, Science & Policy (Water Quality) Annelisa Moe (left) attends the VenturaWaterPure press conference.
Under CA State law, discharging treated wastewater is considered an unreasonable use of that water, and is therefore illegal, unless it provides an environmental benefit. Unfortunately, based on conclusions from a Science Panel and Technical Advisory Committee, treated wastewater flow into the naturally brackish Santa Clara River Estuary does not benefit the ecosystem, but actually negatively affects it in a variety of ways:
Decreases salinity variability, which is favorable for invasive species
Increases levels of nitrate and other nutrients leading to low dissolved oxygen levels, which is harmful to the entire ecosystem
Heightens the water level in the estuary leading to local flooding at McGrath State Park and unseasonal estuary berm breach events, which impedes public access and is harmful to native and listed species
So the City of Ventura has committed to dramatically reduce their discharge to the estuary and limit nutrient loading in any remaining discharge through the VenturaWaterPure project. The project also offers a co-benefit of up to 1.76 billion gallons of new recycled water supply for the City of Ventura by 2032. This supports the human right to water using an approach that is environmentally protective and affordable, especially when compared to other methods such as importing water, or using ocean water desalination.
Heal the Bay will continue to work closely with Wishtoyo Chumash Foundation and City of Ventura to ensure the transition to reduced discharge is protective of the estuary, that the new brine discharge to the ocean is done responsibly using the best available technology, and that the existing treatment ponds (which currently serve as important bird habitat) remain protected as part of the final VenturaWaterPure project.
Support Heal the Bay’s mission to protect public health through clean water policy:
Heal the Bay achieved significant accomplishments in 2023 in safeguarding our waters, preserving biodiversity, and raising awareness about the importance of environmental conservation. Through our collective efforts and with your unwavering support, we worked tirelessly to create cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable coastal waters and watersheds for Los Angeles and beyond from summit to sea. As we reflect on the achievements of this past year, we are thrilled to carry this momentum into the coming year, always aiming to make a lasting difference. Celebrate them with us!
2023 Highlights
Our expertise was sought after, and our work was celebrated.
In 2023, Heal the Bay was honored for decades of commitment to the environment.
The City of Los Angeles officially declared October 20, 2023 “Heal the Bay Day in LA” in recognition of nearly four decades of accomplishments including the 20th anniversary of our Angler Outreach Program as well as our Aquarium.
The 3rd Annual Heal the Bay One Water symposium was convened at Will Rogers State Beach, establishing Heal the Bay as a thought leader among civil engineers, water conservation experts, and local, county, and state legislators.
Heal the Bay was officially appointed to the LA 28 Environmental Sustainability Committee for the 2028 Summer Olympics.
The future of our planet starts with better environmental policy.
Heal the Bay played a pivotal role in successfully advancing policies and legislation for the benefit of water quality, affordability, and coastal ecosystems to ensure a more sustainable Los Angeles region and climate-resilient California.
Heal the Bay,co-sponsored Assembly Bill 1572 (Friedman) alongside the NRDC and the Los Angeles Metropolitan Water District. This new law bans the use of drinking water to irrigate non-functional (purely ornamental) turf on governmental and commercial landscapes; and is expected to save the equivalent amount of water that 780,000 households use in a year.
Heal the Bay advocated for water quality protection at the Boeing Santa Susana Field Laboratory site in Simi Valley. The Los Angeles Regional Water Board voted in October to keep regulations on surface water that flows from this previous industrial site, keeping stringent water quality limits, adding more monitoring, and addressing the potential for surface water pollution to impact groundwater, a huge win in the ongoing battle for water quality protection.
Our policy team worked to legally strengthen and streamline fishing regulations to make fishery enforcement more equitable through Assembly Bill 1611 (Lowenthal). This new Heal the Bay sponsored law was supported by conservationists and fishery regulatory agencies alike as a win-win for both nature and the fishing community.
Heal the Bay co-authored a new (and well-received) Vision 2045 Report and shared it with LA County decision-makers who are tasked with overseeing the ambitious Safe, Clean, Water Program (SCWP). This collaborative “vision” laid out a roadmap of bolder goals, and recommendations to more quickly and definitively reach 2045 SCWP targets.
It Takes a Very Large Village.
This year Heal the Bay published its first Volunteer Impact Report highlighting the accomplishments of our 22,017 volunteers from the 2022 season, which paved the way for the many volunteer successes of 2023.
In 2023, Heal the Bay volunteers collected more than 22,000 pounds of trash and contributing 71,048 hours to protecting our precious watershed and coastal waters!
In September, Heal the Bay mobilized 7,337 volunteers on Coastal Cleanup Day, removing 16,211 pounds of trash (including 429 pounds of recyclables) from greater Los Angeles coastlines and waterways.
Heal the Bay’s work is powered by everyday heroes and Spectrum News highlighted one of our dedicated volunteers.
Sticking a Fork in Plastic at the Source
Recognizing the urgent need to combat plastic pollution, Heal the Bay continues impactful campaigns encouraging individuals and businesses to adopt sustainable practices. For several years, staff has been working with LA City and County to help create legislation aiming to break the harmful plastic cycle. By advocating for reducing single-use plastics and promoting responsible waste management, we took significant steps toward a plastic-free future.
Our “No Bag November” campaign reaffirmed Heal the Bay’s commitment to a plastic-free Los Angeles. Through partnerships and community activations, No Bag November urged Angelenos to say “no” to single-use plastic bags and encouraged everyone to grab their reusable bags instead.
In 2023, the implementation of THREE new laws made big waves for the environment as a means to reduce plastic in our oceans.
As a leader in the Reusable LA Coalition, we co-launched the “Hold the Plastic, please,” campaign to educate businesses and the public about LA City and County plastic bans that Heal the Bay and partners advocated to pass.
Environmental Health IS Public Health
In 2023, Heal the Bay continued its relentless commitment to ocean water and freshwater quality from summit to sea.
Since its launch in 2003, Heal the Bay’s Angler Outreach Program (in partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency) has educated more than 190,000 anglers about which fish are contaminated, and which are safer to eat.
Our annual Beach Report Card released this year remains the gold standard, providing access to the latest water quality information based on levels of fecal-indicator bacterial pollution in the ocean at over 700 beaches. For more than 30 years, our annual report has assigned “A-to-F” letter grades and ranked the “Best and Bummer” lists across beaches from Washington State to Tijuana, Mexico.
The 5th annual River Report Card was also released, ranking freshwater quality and providing grades for 35 freshwater recreation areas in Los Angeles County tested during the summer of 2022. This summer we debuted our upgraded River Report Card with an intuitive letter grading system and celebrated the achievements of our 2023 Summer Stream Team. These two programs are at the forefront of our efforts to keep LA’s waters safe and enjoyable for all.
Conservation and Marine Protection Are Key to Our Mission
Heal the Bay reaffirmed its commitment to biodiversity through both volunteer activations and the tireless efforts of our husbandry, operations, and education Aquarium teams.
Heal the Bay Aquarium plays a pivotal role in species conservation through research, breeding programs, and public awareness campaigns. In 2023, sixteen fish, three swell sharks, and dozens of moon jellies were born at the Aquarium; and our animal care team released five species of protected and rehabilitated marine life including a keystone species, the California Sheephead fish, and a critically endangered Giant Spotted Bass into the Santa Monica Bay. By releasing these animals back into the wild, Heal the Bay continues its mission to protect and support the biodiversity of wild fish populations.
As part of our collective commitment to successful conservation efforts, Heal the Bay Aquarium officially joined the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Wildlife Trafficking Alliance. As an official member of US Fish & Wildlife Department’s Wildlife Confiscation Network pilot program, the aquarium is certified to care for the well-being of wildlife confiscated from illegal trade.
Heal the Bay’s Science and Policy Team successfully advocated for state funding to research DDT in 2022-23 and is now working as part of a coalition to lead public meetings and educate Californias on the impacts of DDT on public health and biodiversity.
As a watchdog for Marine Protected Areas, Heal the Bay’s MPA Team is actively contributing and analyzing critical data on California’s first decade-long review that began in 2023. One of the biggest conclusions of the review highlighted the fact that protecting these precious estuaries for the past decade has worked, allowing for flourishing biodiversity, larger populations, and bigger individual animals in these safeguarded areas.
Environmental Justice is a pillar of environmental health.
This year Heal the Bay stood up to big oil and continued to advocate for communities that experience the worst systemic and often immediate impacts of environmental injustice and climate change.
For decades Heal the Bay has advocated alongside organizations like Stand Together Against Neighborhood Drilling to oppose oil drilling in Los Angeles neighborhoods, a practice long seen as an environmental injustice and a public health crisis. In October of 2023, the LA County Regional Planning Commission voted in support of phasing out oil drilling in the Inglewood Oil Field, one of the largest neighborhood oil fields in the country.
In 2023 Heal the Bay publicly endorsed the Campaign for a Safe and Healthy California and will work alongside public health groups, community and faith organizations, and environmental justice leaders from across California to “KEEP THE LAW” (SB 1137) on the November 2024 ballot. This law prohibits new oil wells within 3,200 feet of homes, schools, day care centers, parks, healthcare facilities, and businesses.
Environmental Education, Outreach and Sharing our Passion to Protect What We Love
Education remained a cornerstone of our mission. In 2023, Heal the Bay expanded our outreach program, teaching schools and communities to understand the importance of environmental conservation and the role each individual can play.
Through innovative approaches and interactive science-based programs, educational efforts continued to inspire and inform diverse audiences. The Heal the Bay Aquarium field trip program sponsored 10,285 students from 22 school districts in LA County— 79% were Title 1 schools.
This year, “Coastal Cleanup Education Day” at the Aquarium hosted more than 250 3rd-5th grade students from across Los Angeles County for a day of beach exploration, scientific excursions, pollution education, and hands on learning while having some fun in the sun.
As we look back on 2023, Heal the Bay celebrates a year of accomplishments, resilience, and collaboration. These achievements underscore the collective efforts of our dedicated team, volunteers, and supporters who made a positive impact on the health of our oceans and coastal ecosystems.
Here’s to a future filled with even greater strides toward a sustainable and thriving planet!
Looking to the Future with 2024 in our sights
In 2024, Heal the Bay will enter a bold five-year strategic plan with a focus on protecting and restoring the Los Angeles environment and water. The plan aims to improve water quality, increase access to clean water, and advocate for policies that benefit the environment. We have outlined specific goals and initiatives, such as reducing plastic pollution, restoring wetlands, and engaging communities in environmental education and action.
Thank you for all our supporters both past and present.
Heal the Bay co-authored the 
Heal the Bay advocacy supported major wins for state and local plastics regulation this year, including the passage of 
They were also featured as experts in the Los Angeles Times documentary “Out of Plain Sight.”. 
In 2024, Heal the Bay built a blue economy, providing professional training on sustainable aquaculture practices in partnership with Santa Monica College. 
