New developments and late-breaking news on major issues reported in previous issues of SDET.
by Carolyn Chase
he ancient Chinese considered the phrase, "May
you live in interest- ing times," a curse. For better or worse, we
certainly live in interesting times. The following are updates on important
local and regional issues, some of which SDET has been following
and reporting on for years. For more background information, visit the SDET
Web site at: www.sdearthtimes.com. And, contrary to oriental expectations,
some of the news is pretty good ...
Multiple Species Planning marches on
Accompanied by much hyperbole and rhetoric
in five hours of public testimony on March 18th, the San Diego City Council
unanimously voted to adopt the "Multiple Species Conservation Plan"
(MSCP). The MSCP seeks to balance species protection and development in
a the 900-square-miles from the Mexican border north to Del Mar.. Among
those commenting on the "historic" nature of the action were Governor
Pete Wilson and United States Secretary of the Department of the Interior
Bruce Babbitt.
According to Babbitt's representative, "MSCP
will give a refuge from effects of urban sprawl.... the MSCP sets forth
a comprehensive blueprint reconciling the needs of man and nature... and
will spur other communities to seek balance between conservation and economic
vitality.... a death defying high wire act, ambitious, bold, and a new era
of conservation. San Diego's very sense of place is defined by its beaches,
canyons, rolling hills, bays, lagoons.... What surrounds you is a landscape
worth saving with a compelling power and beauty all of its own and I hope
this is your enduring legacy."
Other comments were less enthusiastic.
Dr. Ellen Bauder, plant ecologist from San
Diego State University stated, "This is the most important land use
decision since the establishment of the Forest Service Lands... the purpose
of this plan is actually to facilitate permits for mega-development projects
that will leave isolated undeveloped areas in a sea of urbanization. ...
it is not science-based... linkages and corridors are inadequate, don't
exist or border on the ludicrous."
Biologist Dr. Oliver Ryder stated: "We're
taking a risk with the future - our children... Biologically, the environment
will benefit with each small piece of contiguous habitat that you save....
there is no way to replace it.... I wish to draw attention to the uncertainty...
the risk is substantial and if monitoring and maintenance are not successful
there will be no fix.... The standard of not-precluding-recovery may contribute
to further endangerment.... and saying all that, I am willing to roll up
my sleeves and get to work."
There was also testimony from at least a dozen
hard-core "citizen's for private property rights." They used much
more "colorful" language to describe their view of the MSCP: theft;
socialism; communism; central planning; simple extortion; appalling; unconstitutional;
Communist Manifesto; "we will replace you;" morally, ethically
and constitutionally wrong; evil; appraisals are too low; assault on private
property; we will litigate against it.
In the end, the politicians took the high road
and stuck with the process, if only because the alternative is unthinkable.
At least they see that something must be done before we truly consume all
the open space areas and all the wildlife, plants and watershed along with
it.
What's next? Several features of the MSCP critical
to environmentalists were deferred. These included the development decisions
in the Del Mar Mesa area: Carmel Mountain/Neighborhood 8A (see SDET
11/95), the route of State Route 56, proposed through Deer Canyon; the status
of "Community Open Space;" and most importantly, plans to gut
the City's wetlands definitions.
Pollution to be diverted from storm drains and beaches - finally
On March 25th, San Diego Council- men Harry
Mathis and Byron Wear announced plans to upgrade thirty storm drains (see
SDET 11/96) with diversion structures that would allow runoff to
be channeled into the city's sewer system. Right now the drainage flows
through city drains and onto beaches or directly into the ocean The storm
drains would be outfitted with structures that allows low-level runoff to
flow directly into the sewer system. However, higher water-level runoffs
would still flow down to the beaches. Under this system, the excess runoff
from daily activities, legal or illegal, would end up in the sewer, but
a high flow of water from a rain storm would still head out to shore.
The first phase of ten sites will be funded
out of sewer money that has already been set aside by City Manager Jack
McGrory in next year's budget. Design work could begin as soon as the council
approves the budget this spring. A second phase would upgrade 23 more sites
at a total cost of $2.2 million. Wear estimated the project would be finished
by the year 2000. Each drain would cost between $55,000 and $110,000 to
upgrade, depending on factors such as location and whether a pump would
need to be installed.
David Bainbridge, local sustainability expert
and Environmental Studies Program Coordinator at United States International
University suggests another approach. "This is not rocket science,"
he states. "A good water treatment engineer should be able to slap
something together for these low flows that would cost only a few thousand
dollars... make it a design competition for local colleges civil engineers
and biologists and offer a cash prize. Help start a new industry for San
Diego that could sell products throughout the nation and the world."
Healthy Beaches, Healthy Oceans Bills
On March 20, a coalition of environ- mental
and fishing groups declared "that the health of California's coast
is in jeopardy," and asked for support of a bipartisan package of more
than 30 bills that, if passed, would be the "most substantial"
coastal protections enacted since 1976.
Included in the package is the "Healthy
Beaches" bill (see SDET 3/97) sponsored by local Assembly Member Howard
Wayne. This bill would require regular testing of coastal waters for pollution,
with "immediate" postings of health risks. This posting requirement
in San Diego was fought for by local Pacific Beach activist Donna Frye and
Surfers Tired of Pollution. Their efforts led to conquering the "out-of-sight,
out-of-mind" mentality of local politicians and tourism interests,
and to the proposed installation of devices to divert polluted low-flows
from the beaches.
"The health of California's families and
its economy depends upon clean coastal and ocean waters and a thriving sea
life community," said Warner Chabot, Pacific Region Director of the
Center for Marine Conservation. "Eighty percent of California's families
live on or near the coast. They rely on coastal waters for drinking, fishing,
swimming and, in many cases, their livelihood."
Other bills would:
Contact your state representatives to ask their
position on coastal resources. All state congressional members can be reached
at: Sacramento, CA 95814. The general information line for state contact
information is: (916) 322-9900.
