Monterey Coastkeeper

Summary

• Origin
  • In March of 2007 Steve Shimek, past executive director of The Otter Project, stepped sideways to become the Monterey Coastkeeper under The Waterkeeper Alliance.

• The Waterkeeper Alliance
  • The Waterkeeper Alliance is a national and international network of independent water "keepers" who champion clean water and healthy 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.

• What is The Monterey County Coastkeeper?
  • 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 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?
  • 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. Since its inception, The Coastkeeper has been active in championing for effective government regulations, good public policy and an active community role in protecting freshwater and marine waters alike.

• Food Safety
  • Food Safety is a major concern to consumers in our country. 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 troubling to 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. Think of a pendulum with pathogen food safety on one side and chemical safety, water quality and wildlife on the other; we have swung to the pathogen food safety extreme.

• • Food safety is important, but pesticides and chemicals to kill anything near the crop can be a food safety concern as well. Food safety practices are in sometimes in direct opposition to water quality and wildlife protection practices guarding against chemical pollution. Good soil and water conservation practices implemented with taxpayer monies are now being ripped out with no scientific basis. These practices were not only encouraged by farms organizations, but the Monterey Bay Marine National Sanctuary, many environmental organizations and the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board.

• Stormwater Management

• Agricultural Runoff

• Lawsuits

• Return to Conditional waiver of waste discharge requirements for irrigated lands Conditional waiver of waste discharge requirements for irrigated lands

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