Newport Harbor Underwater Cleanup Returns Sept. 21
By Newport Indy Staff – August 29, 2024
Source: Newport Beach Independent https://www.newportbeachindy.com/newport-harbor-underwater-cleanup-returns-sept-21/
The Newport Harbor Underwater Cleanup, in partnership with the City of Newport Beach, has announced the 4th Annual Newport Harbor Underwater Cleanup scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 21 at Marina Park in Newport Beach.
Launched in 2017 by Help Your Harbor’s founders—former Newport Beach mayor Marshall “Duffy” Duffield and local environmentalists Billy Dutton and Mark Ward — NHUC hosted three years of sold-out cleanup events at the Balboa Bay Club before being put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Divers gathering trash from Newport Harbor. Photo courtesy of Newport Harbor Underwater Cleanup
“We’re thrilled to expand this year’s event at our new location,” says Billy Dutton, co-founder of NHUC and Help Your Harbor. “The Newport Marina Park site allows for much greater community participation, with volunteers helping to clean up our harbor both above and below the water. The addition of the International Coastal Cleanup Day celebration at Marina Park that afternoon will bring together over two dozen organizations and their volunteers, all committed to protecting our precious marine environment.”
Volunteer scuba divers and onshore participants will unite once again to search Newport Harbor for trash, plastics, and other pollutants, ensuring a safer and cleaner environment for marine life, residents, and visitors.
In previous years, volunteers successfully removed over 4,200 pounds of trash and single-use plastics from Newport Harbor, contributing to the ongoing efforts to keep the 25.2 miles of coastline, bay, and harbor waterways free from pollution. The event promises to be a significant community effort to protect and preserve our precious coastal environment.
Divers preparing for the Underwater Cleanup. Photo courtesy of Newport Harbor Underwater Cleanup
“The Newport Harbor Underwater Cleanup and International Coastal Cleanup Day perfectly align with our city’s mission to keep Newport Beach clean and safe for residents and visitors,” says John Kappeler, Senior Engineer with the City of Newport Beach. “We’re thrilled to host this event, welcoming local organizations, groups, and individuals dedicated to a pollution-free harbor, and celebrating those in our community who have championed this cause for years.”
Location and Event Schedule:
This year’s cleanup takes place at Newport Beach Marina Park, 1600 W Balboa Blvd. The event is part of the broader International Coastal Cleanup Day celebration, emphasizing global efforts to protect our oceans and shorelines.
Newport Harbor Underwater Cleanup Event Schedule:
7 a.m.: Volunteer check-in, location assignments, hosted breakfast
7:30 a.m.: Skippers report to assigned vessels
8:15 a.m.: Mandatory volunteer safety meeting at the main stage
9 a.m.: Volunteers, both above-water helpers and divers, deploy on cleanup vessels
9 to 11 a.m.: Cleanup commences
11:30 a.m.: Volunteer group photo
11:30 a.m.: Raffle prizes, lunch and recognitions
International Coastal Cleanup Day Celebration:
12:15 p.m.: Barge with collected trash arrives off the shore of Marina Beach
12:30 p.m.: Live music, food trucks and exhibitors
2 p.m.: Mayor O’Neill to recognize the efforts and introduce representatives of each united organization. Presentation of Harbor Stewardship Awards to follow.
3 to 5 p.m.: Live music
Visit https://www.newportharborunderwatercleanup.com for more information and to register as a volunteer.
By Newport Indy Staff – August 29, 2024
Source: Newport Beach Independent https://www.newportbeachindy.com/newport-harbor-underwater-cleanup-returns-sept-21/
To Residents, Yachtsmen and Newport Harbor Users:
The City of Newport Beach has been working with the Army Corps of Engineers for several years on a significant dredging project that will bring Newport Harbor to its authorized design depth which will enhance water quality, allow the bay to properly flush thus eliminating the need to dredge again for many years, remove some unsuitable materials that are lying on the floor of the bay today, and provide for the long term navigability of our harbor.
The Newport Beach City Council certified the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) in May 2021 and directed staff to proceed with securing permits for the project. The EIR is posted on the City’s website here.
The Newport Harbor Foundation has learned that there are a few in the community that are spreading spurious misinformation about the project and the Newport Harbor Foundation believes that it is important that presenting those interested in the dredging project be provided with the facts.
Chairman Murray and Members of the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board:
My name is Dennis Durgan and I serve as Chairman of the Newport Harbor Foundation. The Foundation was founded in 2019 for the purpose of preserving, protecting and enhancing Newport Harbor for the benefit of the City of Newport Beach, the homeowners on or near the bay, the commercial operators in the bay, and the recreational users of the bay. The Foundation’s founders, contributors, and members are made up of individuals and business who have a long history of using and enjoying the harbor and a vested interest in its enhancement and preservation for use by current and future generations. On behalf the Foundation and its Board of Directors, I am reaching out to you to express our support for the currently pending project for dredging of Newport Harbor and construction of the confined aquatic disposal (CAD) site.
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.
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