RAP meetings are being held every first Thursday at the Shorebreak Hotel in Huntington Beach at 6pm.  http://shorebreakhotel1-px.trvlclick.com/ Everyone is welcome to come and listen and / or participate.

RAP is attending all Huntington Beach city council meetings.  We are working with The Pegasus School of Huntington Beach and Huntington Beach High School to ban plastic bags and Styrofoam in our city.  Go to http://www.huntingtonbeachca.gov/government/elected_officials/city_council/ for more details. The city council usually meets the first and third Monday of the month 6pm.  Come watch or speak to the council to let them know “single Use Plastic Bags And Styrofoam Are Not OK.”  Check the website for changes to the schedule.

RAP will be holding our first “Day Without A Bag” on June 10th from 4-7pm. This event’s goal is to educate consumers shopping at a large chain store on the reasons single use bags are bad for the them, their kids and the environment.  The Albertsons location is 7201 YORKTOWN AVENUE, Huntington Beach, CA 92648 (714) 536-6449.
Harbor clean up in the Newport Bay with our friends at the Pegasus School, Newport Aquatic Center and the Huntington Beach and Newport Beach Chapters.  More info will be coming shortly.

Everyone, we need your help.  Surfrider is a volunteer organization trying to make a difference.  Help us help our community to “Reduce, Reuse & Recycle.     If you have any questions, comments or want to be involved, please contact Jeff Coffman @ jeffc@cleangreentechnologyinc.com

http://hsbsurfrider.org/programs/rise-above-plastics/

June 15th General Chapter Meeting – Bolsa Chica Land Trust
@ Don the Beach Combers, at 6:30pm.

Presentation by: Professor Connie Boardman and Kim Kolpin

Download .pdf here

Huntington/Seal Beach Chapter and Newport Chapter

General Membership Meeting

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

6:00 p.m.

at

Don the Beachcomer

“Long Board Room”

16278 S. Pacific Coast Highway

Sunset Beach

Your opportunity is NOW.  Have you thought about how you might get involved with the Surfrider Foundation?  Now is the time for your opportunity.  Our Huntington/Seal Beach Chapter along with the Newport Beach Chapter will host a program presenting an overview of the global/national programs and most importantly, our local programs.  Whether you have 4 hours or 40 hours, your local chapter can use your assistance in saving and reclaiming our coast and coastal environment. You’ll have the opportunity to sign-up and help in your area of interest.

Please R.S.V.P by February 14th as refreshments will be served.

surfertom42@gmail.com

(562) 201-2308

Today the California Coastal Commission overrode a permit issued by the City of Huntington Beach for the proposed Poseidon Resources desalination facility and will be scheduling a hearing to review and likely amend the permit.  The Commission found that appeals of the City’s issuance of a Coastal Development Permit raised substantial issues about whether the City enforced their own regulations on development in the coastal zone.

Numerous issues were raised in the appeals, from whether or not the seawater intake and discharge plan was allowable to questions about whether the noise from operating the facility will impact wildlife in the surrounding wetlands.

According to Merle Moshiri, president of a local residential group, Residents for Responsible Desalination, “These are issues we raised before our City Council that they refused to resolve.  We’re not strictly opposed to ocean desalination, but projects have to at least comply with our local laws.”

Other appellants added similar concerns. Garry Brown of the Orange County Coastkeeper added, “We’re not convinced that ocean desalination is necessary in Orange County when cheaper and more environmentally viable alternatives are available.  Water agencies can improve their conservation programs, expand the Groundwater Replenishment System and capture more rainwater in treatment wetlands – all of these benefit the environment, provide local and reliable water supplies, and save ratepayers money.”

The Coastal Act allows local governments to draft a “Local Coastal Plan” that is certified by the Coastal Commission so that land use planning can be controlled by local government while maintaining consistent minimum protections statewide.

The Coastal Commission retains limited authority to accept appeals and overturn these local decisions.  And they most often only use that review authority when it is clear the City has failed to enforce their local regulations, and the case is serious enough for the Commission to step in.  “When cities are granted certification of their Local Coastal Program, they take on a duty to enforce those rules,” according to Joe Geever, Policy Coordinator for Surfrider Foundation.  “Unfortunately, the Huntington Beach City Council chose to permit this desalination project when it clearly violated their own rules.  If they want to maintain local authority, they have to enforce the rules.”

The final decision will now be decided by the Coastal Commission at a hearing to review the project proposal in its entirety – not just the limited issues raised in the appeals.  “The City Council didn’t do Poseidon any favors by approving this flawed permit – it just delays the final outcome,” says Geever.

The Coastal Commission did not set a date for reviewing the permit and issuing a final decision.

For more info contact:

Nina Vafaie nvafaie@hotmail.com

or Joe Geever jgeever@surfrider.org