San Diego Coastkeeper
Law & Policy Clinic Campaigns
Urban and stormwater runoff is the single greatest source of pollution to California's coastal waters. Yet, controls of non-point source pollution have severely lagged behind regulations for more traditional point-source (e.g. industrial) discharges. Coastkeeper is working to address this problem by supporting efforts to strengthen existing stormwater permits (governing municipalities, construction sites and industries), to enforce permit requirements that are in place, and to educate businesses and individuals about improving stormwater controls.
Coastkeeper's initiatives are working. So far, local and state agencies have adopted stormwater permits that require:
- New developments and significant redevelopments to treat stormwater on-site (to ensure existing runoff problems do not get worse);
- Improved controls at existing developments; and 30 increased monitoring and enforcement of these regulations.
Through these efforts, Baykeeper hopes to see a decrease in beach and bay advisories by 50% (from 2000 baseline) in the next five years.
Municipal Storm Water Permit
In 2001, the Building Industry Association (BIA) challenged the City of San Diego's stormwater permit. As Interveners in the litigation, Coastkeeper and the NRCD joined with the State Water Resources Control Board and the California State Attorney General's office to defend this watershed permit…
Shipyards
San Diego Bay is one of the crown jewels of San Diego… a treasure that is central to the region's identity, economy and way of life.
Encinitas
San Diego Coastkeeper filed a 60-day notice of intent to sue the City of Encinitas in October 1998. Coastkeeper brought this case for two reasons: first, the very sensitive resources that surround the City; and second, the glaring violations.
Caltrans
San Diego Coastkeeper reached a consent decree in December 1997 with CalTrans that forced the agency to reduce the toxic stormwater that flows untreated from 11 highways and construction sites into San Diego (District 11) watersheds.
Auto Dismantlers
Coastkeeper continues to work to bring auto dismantlers in San Diego into compliance with California's Industrial Stormwater Permit.
Construction Permit
Coastkeeper and members of the California Coastkeeper Alliance continue to challenge the State Water Board's failure to properly implement an improved monitoring program as part of the statewide Construction Permit, as required by Court order in July 2000.
Industrial Permit
Coastkeeper has assisted in tracking and providing initial input into the statewide industrial stormwater permit, which will be finalized by the State Water Quality Board in 2004.