Difference between revisions of "Monterey Coastkeeper"

From CCoWS Wiki
Jump to: navigation, search
(Links)
 
(50 intermediate revisions by 5 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
== Summary ==
+
==Summary==
 +
The [https://www.facebook.com/pages/Monterey-Coastkeeper/107982766474?sk=timeline&ref=page_internal Monterey Coastkeeper] (MCK) is a part of the [[California_Coastkeeper_Alliance|California Coastkeeper Alliance]] (CCKA), and serves Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties, as well as portions of Santa Clara, San Benito, and San Mateo Counties<ref> [https://www.facebook.com/pages/Monterey-Coastkeeper/107982766474?sk=timeline&ref=page_internal MCK, Facebook Page] </ref><ref> [[California_Coastkeeper_Alliance|California Coastkeeper Alliance]]</ref>. The MCK aims to protect water quality within this region of Central California, and works in the following arenas: agricultural pollution, urban stormwater, and watershed function<ref name="The Otter Project, Homepage"> [http://www.otterproject.org/ The Otter Project, Homepage] </ref>. MCK is managed by [http://www.otterproject.org/ The Otter Project], a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization working to assist recovery of the California sea otter<ref name="The Otter Project, Homepage" />.
  
*      Origin 
+
==Water Quality Areas of Focus==
**    In March of 2007 Steve Shimek, past executive director of The Otter Project, stepped sideways to become the Monterey Coastkeeper under The Waterkeeper Alliance.  
+
=====Agricultural Pollution=====
 +
One area of water quality advocacy that MCK is actively working within, is in agricultural related water quality and pollution<ref name="The Otter Project, Homepage" />. The MCK is concerned with water quality degradation associated with pesticide and nutrient runoff from farms, and its impact on the environment. Management of these pollutants in Central California is managed by the [[Central_Coast_Regional_Water_Quality_Control_Board_%28CCRWQCB%29|Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board]] (CCRWQCB) under the [http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/rwqcb3/water_issues/programs/ag_waivers/index.shtml Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program] (ILRP), known as the [[Central_Coast_Region_Agricultural_Waiver|'ag waiver']]<ref> [http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/rwqcb3/water_issues/programs/ag_waivers/index.shtml CCRWQCB, ILRP] </ref>. The Otter Project, and MCK, believe in the farmer's right to use water for agricultural purposes, yet also believes that does not include the right to discharge pollution<ref name="The Otter Project, Homepage" />.
 +
=====Urban Stormwater=====
 +
Another area of water quality protection and advocacy that MCK is involved with, is in urban stormwater management<ref name="The Otter Project, Homepage" />. MCK is committed to taking a proactive role in working towards effective [[Urban_stormwater_management|stormwater management on the Central Coast of California]]. Management of stormwater runoff is handled within the framework of the Clean Water Act, predominantly under section 402, the [[NPDES|National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System]]. MCK has made comment on Stormwater Management Plans for the [[Urban_stormwater_management_in_the_Monterey_Bay_region|Monterey area]], Salinas, San Luis Obispo, and [[Urban_stormwater_management_in_the_City_of_Santa_Cruz|Santa Cruz]], as well as hiring consultants to help improve some of these plans<ref name="The Otter Project, Homepage" />.
 +
=====Watershed Function=====
 +
The last area of interest for the MCK, is watershed function<ref name="The Otter Project, Homepage" />. The MCK believes that healthy watersheds play a vital role in providing habitat for wildlife, and by acting as a filter to improve water quality. [[Riparian_corridors_in_the_California_Central_Coast_Region|Riparian corridors]] are an example of an area that can provide these services. The MCK also works to support [[Low_Impact_Development_%28LID%29|Low Impact Development]] (LID), which consists of a wide range of land development practices that help reduce the impact of developed areas on hydrologic function<ref> [http://water.epa.gov/polwaste/green/ US EPA, Low Impact Development (LID)] </ref>. Ultimately, the MCK supports the management of water and pollution through restoration of natural watershed function<ref name="The Otter Project, Homepage" />.
  
*      The Waterkeeper Alliance
+
==Litigation==
**    The Waterkeeper Alliance is a national and international network of independent water "keepers" who strive to promote cleaner water and healthier waterways. The environmental communities in Monterey and surrounding regions have long recognized the need for a water keeper to advocate for healthy watersheds and coast.
+
On October 21st, 2010, the MCK filed a [http://www.otterproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/MCWRA-1-Writ-Petn-Complaint-Endorsed.pdf suit] against the [[Monterey_County_Water_Resources_Agency|Monterey County Water Resources Agency]] (MCWRA), alleging that the MCWRA is violating the [[Porter-Cologne_Water_Quality_Control_Act|Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act]]<ref name="The Otter Project, Homepage" />. The suit claimed that the MCWRA illegally discharged waters containing pesticides, nutrients, sediments, and pathogens into subsurface and surface waters in the [[Salinas_river|Salinas River]] watershed that were in excess of water quality standards. These discharges occur during the course of normal MCWRA operation, which includes the operation of a network of infrastructure to move water between reservoirs, users, and [[Aquifers of California's Central Coast Region|aquifers]]. The suit goes on to claim that these excesses can harm public health, fish and wildlife, and [[Beneficial_uses|beneficial uses]] (BUs). The suit claims that by allowing and contributing to water resource contamination, the MCWRA is breaching  its fiduciary obligations under the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_trust_doctrine Public Trust Doctrine]. The MCK [http://www.otterproject.org/water-resources-agency-lawsuit/ Water Resources Agency Lawsuit] webpage provides more information and links to various legal documents associated with the case<ref name="The Otter Project, Homepage" />.
  
*      What is The Monterey County Coastkeeper?
+
On March 19th, 2015, the [http://www.montereycountyweekly.com/ Monterey County Weekly] reported that Judge Thomas Wills of the [http://www.monterey.courts.ca.gov/ Superior Court of California, County of Monterey] ruled in favor of the MCK in its lawsuit against MCWRA, implying that MCWRA is a pollutant discharger and is responsible for filing a waste discharge report<ref> [http://www.montereycountyweekly.com/blogs/news_blog/judge-slams-monterey-county-water-resources-agency-labels-them-as/article_4766746e-ce60-11e4-b6ac-33294ca8d662.html MC Weekly, MCK vs. MCWRA Lawsuit Article] </ref>. The Judge has still not released his final written decision.
**    The Monterey Coastkeeper is a member of the California Coastkeeper's Alliance, and as such its borders are contiguous with those of the San Francisco Baykeeper to the north, and the San Luis Obispo Coastkeeper to the south. The Monterey Coastkeeper is represented by Stanford Law Clinic. The Monterey Coastkeeper service area includes all of Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties as well as portions of San Mateo, Santa Clara and San Benito Counties.  
+
  
*      Why was The Monterey County Coastkeeper formed?
+
==References==
**    The Monterey Coastkeeper was formed with the intent of tackling issues of water quality through policy advocacy and legal tools to ensure that the interests of development, industry and urban activity are kept in line with the environmental needs and wishes of the community it serves. From the beginning, The Coastkeeper has been active in promoting effective government regulations, good public policy and an active community role in protecting freshwater and marine waters alike.
+
  
*      Food Safety
+
<references/>
**    Food Safety is a major concern to consumers in the United States. The 2006 nationwide outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 was traced back to bagged spinach being sold in supermarkets that was produced on Central Coast Farms. What has followed has been a rush by buyers and sellers of vegetables to try and ensure that the food being sold is “safe” for consumers. What is also troubling is that food “safety” measures have focused on pathogens and are ignoring the pesticides and chemicals flowing into our waterways, groundwater, and sometimes watering the crop itself.                                                                           
+
**    Food safety is important however, pesticides  kill anything near crops and can be a food safety concern as well.  Food safety practices are sometimes in direct opposition to water quality and wildlife protection practices guarding against chemical pollution.  Good soil and water conservation practices implemented with taxpayers  are stopped without any empirical evidence.  These practices were not only encouraged by farms organizations, but the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, many environmental organizations and the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board.
+
**      Many of the pathogen food safety practices are designed to sterilize fields and are not based on scientifically valid evidence. Poison bait stations line leafy green fields and are meant to kill rodents and anything eating the bait through bioaccumulation also including predators up the food chain. Poison stations have been seen within the field sprinkler line, the poisoned water running back into the crop. Monterey Coastkeeper is working to make sure that the interests of pathogen food safety are science based and balanced with environmental protection. There is still much debate as to whether any of the practices being implemented are effective in mitigating the risk of pathogen contamination on the food crops. The Monterey Coastkeeper is committed to documenting current changes as thoroughly as possible and influence the discussion among the various groups involved towards higher concern for chemical pollution, protection of our watersheds, and the natural areas wildlife associated with them.
+
  
*     Stormwater Management
+
==Links==
**     One of the results of urbanization and development is urban runoff, also known as stormwater. Various pollutants such as chemicals from households and businesses, oil from cars, and pesticides from yards, parks and golf courses end up on paved surfaces. When it rains, pollutants are carried by stormwater directly into watersheds, which eventually leads to the ocean. Stormwater is the number one source of pollution to California's watersheds. The variety and toxicity of chemicals that end up in the water are harmful to wildlife and humans, and therefore needs to be regulated.
+
*[[California_Coastkeeper_Alliance|California Coastkeeper Alliance (CCKA)]]
**    The Clean Water Act was passed in the 1970s to monitor and protect water quality throughout the US. Administered by the EPA, the CWA includes regulations on what various institutions (mainly industries and cities) are allowed to discharge into water. The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) requires that cities of a certain size follow regulations to monitor and reduce the amount of pollutants that enter their waterways.
+
*[[Central_Coast_Regional_Water_Quality_Control_Board_%28CCRWQCB%29|Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board (CCRWQCB)]]
**     As a part of this system, cities are required to get a permit from the Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB). One of the permit requirements is that cities design and implement a stormwater management program starting with a RWQCB approved Stormwater Management Plan (SWMP). Stormwater Management Plans are integral to ensuring that public organizations, businesses and citizens are educated about their role in keeping water clean. Stormwater Management Plans are required to include components addressing development standards, commercial and industrial facilities, municipal maintenance, public education and outreach, and more. A well written Stormwater Management Plan is an important tool in ensuring that cities are taking decisive action to minimize pollution in our waterways. The implementation of these plans have a tangible affect on the thousands of species in California that rely on clean water.
+
*[[Central_Coast_Region_Agricultural_Waiver|'ag waiver']]
**    The Monterey Coastkeeper is an active player in establishing the correlation between water quality and ocean health. For this reason, The Monterey Coastkeeper has taken a proactive role in advocating for affective stormwater management along the Central Coast. Working alongside groups such as The Ocean Conservancy and The Natural Resources Defense Council, The Coastkeeper's umbrella organization The Otter Project played a key role in bringing environmental interests to the table in the creation of the Monterey Regional Stormwater Plan. The resulting document has since been held up as a model for the rest of the state.
+
*[[Urban_stormwater_management|stormwater management on the Central Coast of California]]
**     Following the creation of The Monterey Coastkeeper, The Otter Project advocated for the improvement of the Salinas Stormwater Management Plan. Although Salinas is not a coastal city, it discharges pollutants into watersheds that flow directly into the Monterey Bay. Participating in public comment periods, writing letters, attending public meetings and working with other stakeholders in stakeholder committees, The Monterey Coastkeeper championed for the improvement of the Salinas Stormwater Management Plan, leading the RWQCB to raise the standard on required improvements of the plan.
+
*[[NPDES|National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)]]
**    Currently, the RWQCB is planning to undergo a process of rapidly assessing and approving over a hundred stormwater management plans in the next two years. The Monterey Coastkeeper, a project of The Otter Project, is gearing up to participate in the process to ensure that stormwater management throughout the state lives up to the high standard set by Monterey. The resulting management programs established by these policies will have significant ramifications for sea otters and everyone else who relies on clean, healthy water.
+
*[[Urban_stormwater_management_in_the_Monterey_Bay_region|Monterey area]]
 +
*[[Urban_stormwater_management_in_the_City_of_Santa_Cruz|Santa Cruz]]
 +
*[[Riparian_corridors_in_the_California_Central_Coast_Region|riparian corridors]]
 +
*[[Low_Impact_Development_%28LID%29|Low Impact Development (LID)]]
 +
*[[Monterey_County_Water_Resources_Agency|Monterey County Water Resources Agency (MCWRA)]]
 +
*[[Porter-Cologne_Water_Quality_Control_Act|Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act]]
 +
*[[Salinas_river|Salinas River]]
 +
*[[Aquifers of California's Central Coast Region]]
 +
*[[Beneficial_uses|beneficial uses (BUs)]]
  
*      Agricultural Runoff
+
==Disclaimer==
**    Encouraging good farm practices and enforcing against egregious bad practices are the goals of the Conditional Agricultural Waiver Program, overseen by the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board. Until recently farm discharges were exempt from water quality standards. Now, California farms must have a permit to discharge wastewater. The “conditional waiver” is a group program designed to allow farms to avoid thecost and paperwork of obtaining an individual permit if they meet a set of prescribed conditions.
+
**    The Agricultural Waiver Program aims to educate farmers on good practices, thereby encouraging pollution prevention. The Monterey Coastkeeper has been working to support the Water Board both in the management of the current program, and in the development of a future waiver.
+
**    Following good agricultural practices to prevent water pollution and erosion provide an easy solution that is neither onerous nor cost prohibitive! Good practices include minimizing chemical application and limiting irrigation to use only what is absolutely necessary. Both of these actions provide not only environmental benefits, but savings to growers.
+
**    The Agricultural Waiver might seem unrelated to sea otters—but in fact the connection epitomizes the kind of multi-faceted management we must engage in if we truly wish to affect sea otter population stagnation. Conservation is increasingly moving towards ecosystem based management, and this includes identifying and controlling outside threats to the ecosystem—such as agricultural runoff. Preventing chemical poisons from weakening an iconic keystone species like sea otters is a pretty good place to start.
+
  
*      Monterey Coastkeeper Sues Monterey County Water Resources Agency To Protect Water Quality
+
This page may contain students's work completed as part of assigned coursework. It may not be accurate. It does not necessarily reflect the opinion or policy of [[CSUMB]], its staff, or students.
**      On 21 October 2010, the Monterey Coastkeeper filed a suit against the Monterey County Water Resources Agency (MCWRA) alleging that the MCWRA is polluting the waters of the Central Coast and United States. The suit claimed that the MCWRA illegally discharged polluted waters that contained pesticides and nitrates in excess of protective standards. The suit also claimed that the MCWRA did not file a report of waste water discharge, as well as a failure in protecting public resources, and lastly created a public nuisance. The suit did not seek monetary damages but the suit did ask for the discharge of pollutants to stop. The Monterey Coastkeeper is represented by Stanford Law Clinic.
+
**    MCWRA collects winter rainwater in San Antonio and Nacimiento reservoirs and then releases that water during summer months for groundwater recharge.  The vast majority of groundwater is used by the county’s farmers. MCWRA then collects agricultural wastewater in ditches operated and maintained by the Agency and dumps that polluted wastewater, sometimes using pumps, into the Salinas River, Elkhorn Slough, and the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. “Monterey County Water Resources Agency controls the collection, distribution, and disposal of our most precious resource: water,” said Steve Shimek, Program Manager for Monterey Coastkeeper. “Monterey County Water Resources Agency is entrusted with protecting our public resources and they have failed us miserably.”
+
**    The nine member board of the MCWRA is made up of members appointed by the Monterey County Farm Bureau, Monterey Grower-Shipper Association, the County’s Farm Advisory Committee, five members appointed by the County Supervisors (one from each district) and a member appointed by the Mayor’s Select Committee. “The MCWRA is agriculture’s enclave in County Government,” said Shimek, “I can’t pollute; cities can’t pollute; industry can’t pollute. Why is agriculture allowed to pollute?”
+
**    Monterey County’s inland waters are polluted. The federal list of polluted waters identifies hundreds of surface water problems on the Central Coast:  The heavily irrigated and farmed northern Salinas Valley – only a small sliver of the Central Coast -- has over one-third of the region’s listings (the Central Coast region includes Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Benito, San Luis Obispo counties and portions of San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties). 
+
**    The northern Salinas Valley uses more than 50-percent of all the Diazinon used statewide and the area around Salinas uses three-times more pyrethroid pesticides per acre than any other agricultural region in the state according to the Department of Pesticide Regulation. Pesticides are finding their way to surface and ground waters causing acute toxicity.
+
**Intense agricultural production can also result in nitrate pollution caused by excessive application of fertilizers. Unlike pesticides, the amount of chemical fertilizer spread on Monterey County Farms is not known; however according to MCWRA the problem of nitrate pollution in the County’s groundwater has been known since the 1940s. MCWRA conducts water quality testing on hundreds of county wells to test for groundwater quality. In a separate action, the Monterey Coastkeeper has filed a public records act request seeking the groundwater quality information. Nitrates have contaminated surface and groundwater in vast areas of Monterey County. Some people drinking from small water systems (less than 15 connections) and domestic wells are very likely drinking and bathing in contaminated water and may be suffering the health consequences. The Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board sent a letter to all city and county health officials in June alerting them to the pollution risks. According to the US EPA, “Infants below the age of six months who drink water containing nitrites in excess of the MCL [drinking water standard] could become seriously ill and, if untreated, may die. Symptoms include shortness of breath and blue-baby syndrome.” In cities the expense to deal with the polluted groundwater has been transferred from agriculture to urban users who must pay their water companies for pre-treatment of the water before distribution.
+
**    “Agriculture needs to step up and clean up their mess; regulatory agencies need to regulate; and water agencies simply must protect precious resources for everyone,” said Shimek.
+
**    Monterey Coastkeeper spent the past two years attempting to work with growers and grower associations on new water quality regulations. Earlier this year Monterey Coastkeeper, together with San Luis Obispo Coastkeeper and Santa Barbara Channelkeeper, appealed a decision by the Regional Water Quality Control Board to extend an old and ineffective set of water quality regulations. “I’m not going to let up until our water is drinkable, swimmable, and fishable, the basic rights promised by America’s Clean Water Act and California’s Clean Drinking Water Act,” said Shimek.
+
 
+
*      Return to Conditional waiver of waste discharge requirements for irrigated lands [http://ecoviz.csumb.edu/wiki/index.php/Conditional_waiver_of_waste_discharge_requirements_for_irrigated_lands  Conditional waiver of waste discharge requirements for irrigated lands]
+
 
+
*      Homepage [http://www.otterproject.org/site/pp.asp?c=8pIKIYMIG&b=4136551  Monterey Coastkeeper]
+

Latest revision as of 14:53, 26 March 2019

Summary

The Monterey Coastkeeper (MCK) is a part of the California Coastkeeper Alliance (CCKA), and serves Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties, as well as portions of Santa Clara, San Benito, and San Mateo Counties[1][2]. The MCK aims to protect water quality within this region of Central California, and works in the following arenas: agricultural pollution, urban stormwater, and watershed function[3]. MCK is managed by The Otter Project, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization working to assist recovery of the California sea otter[3].

Water Quality Areas of Focus

Agricultural Pollution

One area of water quality advocacy that MCK is actively working within, is in agricultural related water quality and pollution[3]. The MCK is concerned with water quality degradation associated with pesticide and nutrient runoff from farms, and its impact on the environment. Management of these pollutants in Central California is managed by the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board (CCRWQCB) under the Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program (ILRP), known as the 'ag waiver'[4]. The Otter Project, and MCK, believe in the farmer's right to use water for agricultural purposes, yet also believes that does not include the right to discharge pollution[3].

Urban Stormwater

Another area of water quality protection and advocacy that MCK is involved with, is in urban stormwater management[3]. MCK is committed to taking a proactive role in working towards effective stormwater management on the Central Coast of California. Management of stormwater runoff is handled within the framework of the Clean Water Act, predominantly under section 402, the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System. MCK has made comment on Stormwater Management Plans for the Monterey area, Salinas, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Cruz, as well as hiring consultants to help improve some of these plans[3].

Watershed Function

The last area of interest for the MCK, is watershed function[3]. The MCK believes that healthy watersheds play a vital role in providing habitat for wildlife, and by acting as a filter to improve water quality. Riparian corridors are an example of an area that can provide these services. The MCK also works to support Low Impact Development (LID), which consists of a wide range of land development practices that help reduce the impact of developed areas on hydrologic function[5]. Ultimately, the MCK supports the management of water and pollution through restoration of natural watershed function[3].

Litigation

On October 21st, 2010, the MCK filed a suit against the Monterey County Water Resources Agency (MCWRA), alleging that the MCWRA is violating the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act[3]. The suit claimed that the MCWRA illegally discharged waters containing pesticides, nutrients, sediments, and pathogens into subsurface and surface waters in the Salinas River watershed that were in excess of water quality standards. These discharges occur during the course of normal MCWRA operation, which includes the operation of a network of infrastructure to move water between reservoirs, users, and aquifers. The suit goes on to claim that these excesses can harm public health, fish and wildlife, and beneficial uses (BUs). The suit claims that by allowing and contributing to water resource contamination, the MCWRA is breaching its fiduciary obligations under the Public Trust Doctrine. The MCK Water Resources Agency Lawsuit webpage provides more information and links to various legal documents associated with the case[3].

On March 19th, 2015, the Monterey County Weekly reported that Judge Thomas Wills of the Superior Court of California, County of Monterey ruled in favor of the MCK in its lawsuit against MCWRA, implying that MCWRA is a pollutant discharger and is responsible for filing a waste discharge report[6]. The Judge has still not released his final written decision.

References

  1. MCK, Facebook Page
  2. California Coastkeeper Alliance
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 The Otter Project, Homepage
  4. CCRWQCB, ILRP
  5. US EPA, Low Impact Development (LID)
  6. MC Weekly, MCK vs. MCWRA Lawsuit Article

Links

Disclaimer

This page may contain students's work completed as part of assigned coursework. It may not be accurate. It does not necessarily reflect the opinion or policy of CSUMB, its staff, or students.