Hello friends of the Newport Harbor Foundation,
There is an urgent issue we need a little help with… something that impacts one of our favorite local playgrounds – the Newport Harbor.
After years of lobbying the federal government for help, the City of Newport Beach has obtained grants of almost $16 million to pay for dredging of the harbor which will significantly enhance the quality of water and create safer boat passage in the harbor. Along with the dredging process, there is a process called CAD (contained aquatic disposal) which places unsuitable material now existing in the harbor into a safe and secure location deep below the harbor bed. This process is totally safe and has been used for many years all over the country, including harbors in California.
The project for Newport Harbor has been studied, vetted, and approved by Fish and Wildlife, EPA, Army Corp of Engineers, and the City of Newport Beach. The final permit needed is from the California State Water Board and once obtained, the California Coastal Commission staff will recommend its approval of the project at the next commission meeting in October. Without these final approvals, the City of Newport Beach risks losing the federal grants and the project will be delayed indefinitely.
The Water Board is where our issue is and your help is needed. Recently, a small group of individuals have opposed the CAD portion of the project and have raised concern with the Water Board with some untruths and opinions. These misstatements are being addressed over the next month in several ways. I will follow up with links where you can see these updates. In the meantime, what I ask is for a brief email to the California Water Board stating that you support the dredging and CAD project at this address:
______________________
To: Maher Zaher
Subject Line: I support the CAD & Dredging Project in Newport Beach
Body: I support the CAD & Dredging Project in Newport Beach.
______________________
IMPORTANT: This must be submitted no later than this Friday, September 16, 2022
IMPORTANT: This must be submitted no later than this Friday, September 16, 2022
Please address your comments to:
Maher Zaher
Subject Line: I support the CAD & Dredging Project in Newport Beach
Body: I support the CAD & Dredging Project in Newport Beach.
The mooring management and harbor operations shift from Orange County Sheriff’s Department to the city of Newport Beach has been a fairly smooth transition as Harbormaster Dennis Durgan assumes his role.
Durgan took over the responsibility of overseeing more than 1,200 moorings from the Sheriff Department’s Harbor Patrol Division in July, with Newport Beach hiring 13 part-time harbor workers and obtaining two additional vessels.
The amount of foot traffic coming into Marina Park, where Durgan’s office is located, after the operational shift in management was unexpected.
Continue reading at The Log…
Photo Credit: Nina K. Jussila/The Log
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