By John Rosenthal Santa Monica
If the plan to bring boats to the Santa Monica Pier succeeds, it will also bring something else: Water pollution. Gasoline-powered boats dump more oil and sludge into ocean waters each year than the Exxon Valdez. This will make swimming and surfing in the water around the pier even less safe than it is now.
Santa Monica’s beaches are the jewels of the community. It’s not worth fouling them up for the few dollars that a boating gangway will provide.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 1, 2005. Read the original PDF.