Action Alerts
- Tell Mayor Hahn to uphold polluted runoff
protections for Los
Angeles beaches and rivers
In last month’s alert we asked you to urge the
State Water Resources
Control Board to uphold new rules protecting Los
Angeles County from
the harmful effects of urban runoff. Hundreds of
you contacted the
board, which is expected to issue a decision next
month.
But the City of Los Angeles is now appealing the
regulations that the
board is considering (and that local water
quality officials
unanimously adopted). The new regulations for the
first time require
meaningful improvements in beach water quality,
which would make the
waters safer for swimmers and marine life alike.
== What to do ==
Tell LA mayor James Hahn to immediately withdraw
the city’s appeal.
== Contact information ==
You can send a message to Mayor Hahn directly
from NRDC’s Earth Action
Center at http://www.nrdc.org/action. Or use the
contact information
and sample letter below to send your own message,
and feel free to add
your own reasons why you want to get polluted
runoff out of southern
California’s waters.
Mayor James Hahn
200 N. Spring Street, Room 303
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Fax: 213 978-0656
Email: jhahn@mayor.lacity.org
== Sample letter ==
Subject: Withdraw the city’s stormwater permit
appeal
Dear Mayor Hahn,
I urge you to withdraw the City of Los Angeles’
appeal of the Los
Angeles County Municipal Storm Water Permit. The
permit includes
strong provisions to make our beaches and
waterways cleaner and safer
for swimming and other recreation. Challenging
the permit is a
foolhardy move and certainly doesn’t reflect the
views of your
constituency.
Polluted urban runoff is the biggest source of
water pollution in Los
Angeles. In fact, our beaches are frequently
closed because of
bacteria, sewage and other toxins that flow
through storm drains into
the ocean. Last year alone, Los Angeles County
had 1,266 beach
closures and advisories, most of which were due
to elevated bacteria
caused by urban runoff.
The Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control
Board, business leaders
and environmental groups worked for over a year
to design effective
stormwater regulations. California’s residents
and visitors want clean
beach water and Los Angeles’ billion-dollar
tourism economy depends on
it.
Protect our beaches and show your leadership by
immediately
withdrawing the appeal of the permit.
Sincerely,
[Your name and address]
How about a good laugh?
http://www.bigfishtackle.com/comics.htm
Mike H