California Resources Secretary Announces
New Approach to Fighting Coastal Erosion

Press Release March 29, 2001

SACRAMENTO - Today California Resources Secretary Mary D. Nichols released a draft policy for improving how the state government plans and responds to coastal erosion along California's 1,100-mile coastline.

The draft policy statement constitutes an unprecedented approach to the problem of coastal erosion by coordinating the activities of different government agencies that have historically not worked in unison on this pressing problem.

The announcement was made at a breakfast meeting co-chaired by State Senator Dede Alpert and Assemblymember Hanna-Beth Jackson regarding beaches, wetlands, and watersheds.

The draft policy was developed in cooperation with experts from state resources management agencies and will be the subject of five public workshops along the coast and one at the State Capitol over the next two months.

"Governor Davis is committed to finding a comprehensive strategy to deal with the loss of California's beaches," said Secretary Nichols. "This new policy builds on $100 million in the current budget for his Clean Beach Initiative to protect beaches, reduce polluted runoff, and cut beach closings."

Just last month Governor Gray Davis awarded $10 million in grant funds to support projects addressing coastal erosion issues. The reason for this focus by the Davis administration is clear: approximately 85 percent of the coast is actively eroding, natural sand supply to beaches has decreased, storm activity has caused substantial coastal damage, and the majority of California's population lives within 30 miles of the coast.

The document entitled "Draft Policy on Coastal Erosion Planning and Response and Background Material," is the first statewide policy statement on shoreline erosion released by the Resources Agency in over 23 years. Nichols noted that the new draft policy provides for the maintenance of critical infrastructure and the protection of natural resources, while also considering the dynamic and sometimes unpredictable nature of the state's coastal bluffs, beaches and sand resources.

Aimed at long-term approaches to re-establishing natural sand supply to beaches from our rivers, streams and creeks, the draft policy focuses on responding to erosion at the coastline with actions that will cause the least environmental damage, while protecting existing coastal infrastructure.

draft policy outlines a tiered approach that proposes the following broad policy goals:

• Increasing sand supply to the coast.
• Avoiding the construction of new structures in hazardous areas.
• If structures are threatened, considering the feasibility of re-locating them.
• Using beach nourishment (placing sand on or near eroding beaches) as the first priority for stabilizing beaches, if feasible.
• Using hard protective structures (seawalls, revetments, breakwaters, etc) only if other less environmentally damaging alternatives are deemed infeasible.

The policy document was prepared by the Resources Agency in coordination with a group of state agencies with various coastal resource management responsibilities: the departments of Boating and Waterways, Conservation, Fish and Game, Parks and Recreation; California Coastal Commission; San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission; State Coastal Conservancy; State Lands Commission; and State Mining and Geology Board.

The draft policy is tied to other Resources Agency initiatives such as the Southern California Wetlands Recovery Project that includes projects to enhance sand supply to coastal beaches.

Public workshop information and the policy document can be found online at http://ceres.ca.gov/cra/ocean.

Print copies of the draft policy are available at local libraries throughout California (see web site for details).

For a hard copy contact Clifton Moberg at the Resources Agency (916.653.5656 or Clifton@resources.ca.gov).

Public workshops will be held in six locations to solicit public comment for integration into a final revised policy (dates, times and locations are attached).

Public comments may be submitted electronically (shorepolicy@ceres.ca.gov) or by mail to the address below and must be postmarked no later than June 6, 2001.

Brian Baird, Ocean Program Manager Resources Agency of California 1416 Ninth Street, Suite 1311 Sacramento, CA 98514