Bond money earmarked to clean up beaches
By Daily Press staff
Two Santa Monica environmentalists have been appointed by Los Angeles Mayor Jim Hahn to manage how a $500 million bond is spent to clean up area waters.
Heal the Bay Executive Director Mark Gold and Craig Perkins, City Hall’s environmental and public works director, were appointed this week to the Proposition “O” Citizens Oversight Advisory Committee. The committee was created to ensure that $500 million of voter-approved bond money is spent specifically on cleaning up Los Angeles City storm water, rivers and beaches.
Prop. O was passed by Los Angeles City voters in November. The proposition called for the creation of an oversight committee to monitor the bond’s programs, projects, budgets and schedules, and to advise and report its status to the mayor and Los Angeles City Council.
Prop. O mandates that the committee consist of nine members — four appointed by the mayor and five appointed by the City Council president. While the proposition stipulates that one committee member be recommended by the Regional Water Quality Control Board, other members were chosen based on their expertise with clean-water issues and knowledge of the community.
Also selected to serve on the committee were City Council President Alex Padilla; Cecelia V. Estolano, former commissioner of the California Coastal Commission; Jos Sigala, board president of Friends of the Los Angeles River; Mary Nichols, former California Secretary of Resources; Cynthia McClain-Hill, former member of the California Coastal Commission; Francine Diamond, chair of the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board; Pacific American Volunteer Association (PAVA) founder Tiger Kang; and MTV Environmental Consulting founder Teresa Villegas.
“By selecting this group of environmental leaders, Padilla and Mayor Hahn are demonstrating their commitment to clean water,” said Gold, who has led Heal the Bay since 1994. “I strongly believe in the improvements this bond money can accomplish and am excited to work with a group of people known for their successful efforts in environmental protection.”
For 20 years, Heal the Bay has made Southern California waters safer and healthier for people and marine life through an approach that combines science, advocacy and education. As one of the largest nonprofit environmental organizations in Los Angeles County, with more than 10,000 members, Heal tºhe Bay inspires environmental stewardship by educating communities and individuals about ways to transform their neighborhoods and improve their local water quality.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on February 18, 2005. Read the original PDF.