Hi, Everybody!
A lot is happening at Heal the Ocean!
First, on August 2, 2010 Santa Barbara County Planning & Development approved Conditional Use and Coastal Development permits to allow the construction of public sewer lines to connect Sandyland (photo here) and Sandyland Cove (Sand Point) homes to the Carpinteria Sanitary District (CSD). This moves the entire South Coast Beach Communities Septic to Sewer Project (including Rincon) a step closer to reality! This project, which has been championed by HTO since 1998, will effect the removal of septic systems from approximately 7 miles of south coast beaches. The permitting process for the Rincon portion of the project is soon to be underway with Santa Barbara County P&D and Cal Trans. Please stay tuned!
HTO is now collaborating with UCSB Bren School of Environmental Science and Management to host an all-day Working Forum of wastewater treatment plant managers and water district managers. The goal is learn what is needed, both in infrastructure and funding, for wastewater recycling and reuse - as a way to keep wastewater out of the ocean. Our ultimate aim is to find funding for projects that will accomplish such transformation. To move HTO into a position where we can lobby for such funds, we put ourselves onto the steering committee for the Santa Barbara County Integrated Regional Water Management Program (IRWMP), which is working to present projects to the State for funding under Proposition 84. HTO is the only non-profit on the steering committee, working with agencies from every city around the county - public works directors, sanitary districts, water districts, etc., - to approve projects for submittal to Sacramento.
We are excited about moving forward on our ocean work, and we are also thrilled about the wonderful people and groups who are helping us fundraiser - for our programs, for funds to buy Doggie Bags for our HTO Junior Council program, and to help us pay for consultants, engineers and researchers. Please review the Featured Upcoming Events on this page, to sign up!
Heal the Ocean remains at the helm, working to identify and eliminate sources of pollution, on behalf of all of us who love the ocean.
Thank you for helping,
