Lawsuit prompts warning about pollution
Cities, counties possibly negligent
By Joann Groff joann@theacorn.com

Almost two dozen local governments have been warned that the bacteria levels in Santa Monica Bay are too high.

The actions comes following a lawsuit filed by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and Santa Monica Baykeeper against the county of Los Angeles and the city of Malibu in an effort to reduce the runoff that's polluting the ocean.

The lawsuit prompted the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board to notify cities such as Agoura Hills, Calabasas and Westlake Village, as well as Ventura County, that they, too, are in violation of the California Water Code because of too much bacteria in the water.

The suits were filed March 4 in the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles.

"Year after year, the county's own data show that pollutants ranging from cyanide to fecal bacteria are flowing into local waters at levels the law forbids," said David Beckman, director of the NRDC Coastal Water Quality Project. "It's time to stop going through the motions of fighting water pollution and actually clean up the water."

Calabasas spokesperson Michael Hafken confirmed that his city had received the notice and that it is currently under review.

In addition to the pollution notices, the regional water board issued an order that requires each city to submit a report about where the pollution is coming from and the plans they have to curb it. If the information isn't submitted by the April 21 deadline, the cities will face fines starting at $10,000 a day.

Roxanne Hughes, storm water program manager for the city of Westlake Village, confirmed that the cities in question are trying to work together to solve the pollution problem.

"The city's endeavoring to work collaboratively with the regional board to answer their questions and concerns regarding water quality," Hughes said. "The city of Westlake Village is concerned about water quality issues, and we share that concern with the regional board, notwithstanding all that the city currently does to address water quality issues.

"The city is currently putting together a comprehensive response to the notices in conjunction with the other 19 cities that received these notices. Stewardship and enhancement of our environment is a long-standing priority in Westlake Village and the surrounding areas, and it will always remain as such."

According to data in the violation notice, between Sept. 14, 2006 and Oct. 31, 2006, and between April 1, 2007, and Oct. 31, 2007, there were 132 violations at Malibu Creek.

"Santa Monica Bay is one of the most extraordinary coastal estuaries on the West Coast of North America, and it is high time the county, the agency most responsible for its protection, acted like it was a resource worth protecting," said Tom Ford, executive director of Santa Monica Baykeeper. "We need results, not more paper shuffling."