Giving Tuesday Results
Thanks to you, we raised $6,545 on Giving Tuesday! These funds will help us continue to track water issues affecting our community, such as PFAS contamination, stormwater runoff, and coastal development projects.
Did you miss our Giving Tuesday fundraiser? You can still donate to our advocacy program here.
Victory in Clean Water Act Jury Trial
On Monday, November 21, our legal team emerged victorious from an eight-day trial in federal court. The jury sided with us on all claims against Corona Clay Company for its discharge of pollutants into Temescal Creek (also known as Temescal Wash), which flows into the Santa Ana River.
In an earlier ruling from the Central District Court of California, the Honorable District Judge David O. Carter granted our team partial summary judgment on several of its claims. However, the jury sided with Corona Clay Company on the remaining claims. Both parties appealed the decision, resulting in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit vacating the district court’s judgment and the jury verdict.
The case then returned to the Central District Court, where Judge Carter declined to rule on any claims on summary judgment, meaning the entire case was sent back to a jury. Ultimately, our team won on all claims in a massive win for the health of the Santa Ana River and for future Clean Water Act cases.
To learn more about this case, read our most recent press release.
Water Board Adopts Copper Limit in Newport Bay
On Friday, December 2, the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board adopted a copper total maximum daily load (TMDL) for Newport Bay. Despite years of delays caused by those in opposition to the TMDL, today’s 4-1 vote signals a cleaner future for the bay.
Anti-fouling boat paints are widely known as a significant source of copper, thus the resistance from some boat owners. The TMDL must still go through other approvals at the state and federal levels, but we expect those agencies to approve it. Similar TMDLs are already in place around the state.
Read more about the years of research and advocacy we put into this project here.
High School Field Research Returns
This past week, our education team took students from Godinez High School in Santa Ana on their first field trip to Back Bay Science Center to collect data for group research projects. The students will continue to visit Back Bay for the next several months as they work on data-driven ecological research.
This program was made possible by an environmental justice grant from the California Environmental Protection Agency to increase youth engagement in conservation efforts. Alongside our partners at Orange County Environmental Justice, our team uses hands-on educational opportunities to show students how scientific research can improve the management of our natural resources.
Our Final Cleanup of the Year
Our last beach cleanup of the year is this week! Join us at tower #2 at Huntington State Beach this Saturday, December 10. Please register ahead of time using the link below.
