Check back soon for Heal the Bay's 2008 goals. For your reference, our 2007 goals are listed below.
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Marine Debris Legislation
For Heal the Bay, 2007 is the year to stop marine debris. In February 2007, California’s Ocean Protection Council adopted a resolution to aggressively take action against marine debris (all of the trash found in our oceans – mostly plastics). In response, five bills have been introduced in Sacramento, each of which tackles a specific angle of marine debris (i.e. toxins in plastics, derelict fishing gear, etc). Heal the Bay is hoping to see real and measurable movement towards solving the problem of marine debris this year and next. A final report on state recommendations will be completed by the end of the year.
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 The Scattergood power plant in El Segundo, CA. |
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Once Through Cooling
Coastal power plants use a process called once-through cooling to keep their mechanisms from overheating. This process takes in large quantities of seawater, runs it through the system (thus cooling the system down), and discharges the now warm seawater back into the ocean. This process is enormously troubling from an environmental standpoint for two reasons. First and foremost, by sucking up vast amounts of sea water, once-through cooling also sucks in and kills millions of fish eggs and larvae. In addition, fish, crustaceans, and other animals, can be trapped and killed by the intake pipes used in this process. In 2007, we hope to work on a statewide policy that would end once-through cooling all together. In addition, all six coastal power plants in L.A. County need to renew their permits and we will push for the elimination of once through cooling.
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Marine Protected Areas for Southern California
Marine protected areas are geographic regions in the ocean where fishing commercially and recreationally is prohibited, thus providing local species the opportunity to thrive and reproduce in those areas. In late 2006, marine protected areas (MPAs) were established for the Central Coast of California. In 2007, Heal the Bay will continue advocating for the process for establishing MPAs for Southern California to start by 2008. We will try to help scientists find funding for critical monitoring and assessment work this year |
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Ventura County MS4 Permit
Every five years, each Southern California county that has separate stormwater and sewage systems must apply for an MS4 permit—a permit to discharge stormwater into the ocean. This year, Ventura County will renew their MS4 permit, and Heal the Bay will be an integral part of that process. The Ventura County permit will set precedent for L.A. County. |
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 Paradise Cove |
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Ramirez Creek and Escondido Creek Study
Malibu’s Paradise Cove and Escondido Beach are two notoriously polluted local beaches. For years the beaches have appeared on our Beach Report Card as Beach Bummers, and this year the County of Los Angeles has decided to find out why. Heal the Bay is working with the County and SCCWRP to take water samples at each of the creeks that feed into these beaches (Ramirez Creek and Escondido Creek) to see if we can identify pollution sources and take steps to eradicate them.
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Doheny Beach
Heal the Bay is beginning work on an epidemiology study at Doheny Beach, in Orange County, with SCCWRP, UC Berkeley and the Orange County Sanitation District. The study will take place from Memorial Day to Labor Day, and will involve interviewing beach goers as they arrive at the beach, as they leave the beach, and 10-12 days later to determine if they have contracted any stomach flu, respiratory infections, skin rashes, etc. The study will include water analysis for over 30 different microbes. This, done in conjunction with water quality testing, will help determine the likelihood that pollution at Doheny Beach is causing illness in swimmers. |
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TMDLs
TMDLs (or Total Maximum Daily Loads) are pollution limits mandated by the Clean Water Act to help protect and cleanup polluted waterways. In 2007, we’ll see a number of TMDLs proposed, reworked, and adopted. We’re looking towards TMDLs for: the Ventura River Estuary for trash, the Bearsley Wash for trash, the Pico Kenter Drain for trash, the Machado Lake for trash, the Legg Lake for trash, Elizabeth Lake for trash, Munz Lake for trash, Hughes Lake for trash, Ventura Harbor Beach for bacteria, Kidde Beach for bacteria, Calleguas Creek for salts and the re-adoption of the Los Angeles River Trash TMDL. |
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 Compton Creek |
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Speakers Bureau
Heal the Bay’s trained Speakers Bureau staff and volunteers talk to children, seniors, businesses and community leaders about coastal stewardship, marine conservation, pollution prevention, and the state of Southern California coastal waters. The presentations are tailored to target different ages. They specifically benefit children not only by teaching them about the causes and impacts of ocean pollution but also by showing how one person can make a difference. Speaker’s Bureau reaches more than 20,000 children and adults each year, who then become equipped to act as stewards of the environment.
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Santa Monica Pier Aquarium
The Santa Monica Pier Aquarium, located beach level beneath the historic Santa Monica Carousel, provides hands-on marine science and environmental education for pre-K through 12th grade school groups and their teachers and also serves as a community resource. Interactive exhibits, touch tanks teeming with tide pool animals, and various outdoor programs inspire conservation of the Santa Monica Bay and the surrounding watersheds. The Aquarium educates more than 15,000 school children and approximately 60,000 public visitors annually.
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Key to the Sea
Key to the Sea, Heal the Bay’s marine science education program for grades K-5, combines in-classroom curriculum and education with a field trip to a local marine science center for our outdoor environmental education program. This coming school year, an estimated 340 teachers will be involved in the Key to the Sea program.
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Coastal Cleanup Day
Since 1990, Heal the Bay has coordinated California Coastal Cleanup Day efforts in L.A. County. To date, more than twelve million pounds of trash have been safely removed from our state water ways. In 2006, we had approximately 10,000 volunteers in L.A. County alone! This year, we hope to educate even more volunteers on the importance of keeping trash off of our streets and out of our waterways.
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 Compton Creek |
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Compton Creek Outreach
Community events, festivals, and speaking engagements get Compton Creek and other inland communities involved with Heal the Bay. The outreach program is bilingual and seeks to inform children, adults, and community groups about the causes and solutions to ocean pollution, regardless of their location and language. We are incredibly excited to begin another two year Coastal Conservancy grant working with inland community groups to develop urban greening projects. |
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Nothin’ but Sand
The third Saturday of every month, volunteers gather to clean up a local beach and directly improve the condition of Santa Monica Bay beaches. Cleanup locations locate throughout the year. This year, we are hoping to involve more inland organizations to take part in these monthly cleanups.
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 Redondo Pier |
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Angler Outreach
Our Pier and Angler Outreach program educates local anglers on the contamination issues that face some locally caught fish. Primarily focusing on White Croaker, which is locally contaminated with high levels of DDT and PCB, the outreach encourages people to choose other fish to eat, but also educates them on preparation techniques that will help lower the risk of consuming DDT. In 2007, we are moving towards giving our surveys digitally to reduce the amount of paper that we generate. |
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Stream
Team
Stream Team experts identify and solve water quality and habitat degradation problems in the Malibu Creek watershed by monitoring water chemistry, biodiversity and illegal spills. The team also conducts extensive habitat restoration. This year, the team finished restoration at Malibu Creek and will start restoration at the Arroyo Sequit. Stream team is partnering with California State Parks to remove two Steelhead migration barriers and restore creek habitat.
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