Conservation Update 2019 Sep | Aliso Creek Watershed; Environmental Roundtable with Rep Porter 45th District

DO YOU LIVE IN THE ALISO CREEK WATERSHED? 

OCCNPS HOPES YOU CAN BE OUR LIAISON WITH OC PUBLIC WORKS’ NEW PLANNING PROCESS!

A new planning process, the Aliso Creek Watershed Collaboration Group, is underway. The process formally began with a meeting on July 18. Additional meetings are scheduled for August 29 and October 16. As OCCNPS liaison, you would attend these and future meetings, have input as appropriate, and be our contact point. Interested? Contact jenna.voss@ocpw.ocgov.com and/or Andrew.McGuire@ocpw.ocgov.com to request to be on the distribution list. Ask to be sent the materials that have resulted from the process thus far. Map:

h2oc.org/showPmePmyPwatershed/.)

OCCNPS was invited to participate as a stakeholder because we have participated in some of the previous planning efforts for portions of the watershed. Unlike many of the other stakeholders, we don’t have specific projects to promote. Our best input would be:

—Advising on native plants and habitats for the many individual projects that it will take to complete the restoration.

—Advising on native landscaping to replace the invasives in the developed landscape, and to assist with education of homeowners on why it is important to do so.

OCCNPS has suggested that the planning cover the entire watershed, rather than just a part. Decades of development in the northern watershed, especially above IP5, contribute much of both the storm-event and dry-weather nuisance flows that trouble the lower watershed, especially within Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park.

OCCNPS REPS ATTEND ENVIRONMENTAL ROUNDTABLE WITH REP. PORTER, 45TH DIST.

On August 22, Chapter President Brad Jenkins and Conservation Chair Celia Kutcher joined representatives of 11 other leading OC enviro groups at an Environmental Roundtable with Rep. Katie Porter, House Dist. 45; see map on our website.

Rep. Porter discussed, especially, current legislation relating to climate change and to protecting and strengthening the U.S.’ bedrock environmental laws from attempts by the current administration to weaken them. All attendees agreed that these two issues are of primary importance, to OC and the rest of the country.

Additional topics with particular OC relevance:

— Ocean protections, plastics, desalination.

— Open spaces and wildfire preparedness, shot hole borers, and the hope for federal funding to help homeowners and local jurisdictions deal with them.

— Pollution and dealing with the nuclear waste at San Onofre.

Throughout, Rep. Porter displayed an in-depth knowledge of the relevant laws, policies, current legislation, and OC’s issues. Many of the attendees were also very knowledgable. The event reinforced that OCCNPS is a voice in the OC enviro chorus. We “sing” about plants and habitats, others “sing” about other aspects of OC’s natural world, and/or about laws and policies. All the songs combine to form a strong and united proPenvironment voice.

We thank Sea and Sage Audubon for organizing the event.

— Celia Kutcher,  Conservation Chair