Funds go to marine life, water quality
By Daily Press staff
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today will award $345,000 to the State Water Resources Control Board for the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission, which will use the funds to clean up the Santa Monica Bay.
The EPA grant will help finance stormwater pollution control, habitat restoration, long-term restoration and pollution-control strategies.
“The Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission is implementing a comprehensive program to improve water quality and habitats of the bay and its watershed,” said Alexis Strauss, the EPA’s water division director for the Pacific Southwest region. “EPA is pleased to provide these funds, as we know that implementing the Bay Restoration Plan will have a direct and positive impact on the beaches, marine environment and bay watersheds.”
In 1989, Congress recognized Santa Monica Bay as a “water body of national significance” and established the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Project (SMBRP) as one of 28 EPA National Estuary programs. The Santa Monica Bay National Estuary measures approximately 1,465 square kilometers, and is host to world famous beaches and urban centers, kelp forests and several endangered species, including the Brown sea turtle and Californian pelican.
“The EPA’s continued support of our program is essential for much-needed environmental improvements,” said Shelley Luce, incoming executive director of the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission. “The Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission plays a crucial roll in restoring water quality and habitat for all the users of Santa Monica Bay.”
An estuary is a partially enclosed body of coastal water formed where rivers and streams flow into the ocean and mix with sea water. Besides serving as important habitat for wildlife, the wetlands that fringe estuaries improve water quality as water flows through fresh and saltwater marshes. It slows down and settles out sediments and pollutants, environmentalists say. Wetland plants recycle excess nutrients, which leads to cleaner and clearer water for people and marine life.
The State Water Resources Control Board and the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board continue to serve as the lead agencies for state and federal funding of the commission.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 20, 2005. Read the original PDF.