Ban on trash in L.A. River

This story below is good news. There was no mention in the story of similar rules applying to the San Gabriel River (where most of Lakewood's storm drains empty to) however we assume similar rules are in force as the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board also has control over the San Gabriel River. See this San Gabriel River report for more detail. This is why we urged Lakewood some years ago to enforce a logical parking ban; so that city wide street sweeping covering all streets weekly would comply with these rules, which will become more difficult over time to comply with without thorough sweeping programs. Next wee need to see storm drains inlets modified (and the catch basins cleaned before storms) to deal with all the trash and other pollutants not collected by the sweeper. Of course the story linked above does not mention which agency is supposed to clean out these catch basins once a week and all during a rain storm so they don't overflow and cause flooding nor is there any mention of the funding mechanism for this after the initial money is spent on installation of these snazzy catch basins. Also we are not keen on delaying this until 2016 but that is the slow pace of local government. I hope federal stimulus money is spent on this and perhaps the work will start sooner that way.

latimes.com/news/local/la-me-trash11-2009dec11,0,6852403.story
latimes.com
Water board moves to enforce ban on trash in L.A. River
Cities along the watershed are required by 2016 to keep all trash out of their storm drains. Those that don't comply will now be in violation of the federal Clean Water Act.

By Bettina Boxall

December 11, 2009

Regional water quality officials on Thursday put some teeth into their long campaign to cleanse the Los Angeles River system of the tons of trash that turn it into a movable landfill after major storms.

Standards previously adopted by the Los Angeles [Regional] Water Quality Control Board give cities along the watershed until 2016 to keep all trash out of their storm drains.

On Thursday, the board incorporated those limits into storm water permits, putting municipalities that don't meet the requirements in violation of the federal Clean Water Act. Until now there had been no penalty for noncompliance.

"It's taken two decades to get to this point," board vice-chair Madelyn Glickfeld said after the 5-0 vote. "If we hadn't done this today, it would have been a signal" to cities "to relax, guys."

During storms, tons of trash and plastic debris wash up in municipal drains that empty into the Los Angeles River and its tributaries. The trash floating at the river's mouth in Long Beach can be so thick that it is hard to see any water. In the unusually wet winter of 2005, Long Beach hauled more than 12,000 tons of garbage out of the river.

Much of the trash winds up in the Pacific Ocean, contributing to huge floating garbage patches. Pieces of plastic can wrap around wildlife and kill birds and fish.

Trash was formally identified as a pollution problem in the river in 1996. Five years later, the regional water board adopted standards. But 22 cities sued to overturn the trash limits, saying they would be expensive and difficult to meet.

The courts found the board had not performed an adequate environmental impact analysis of the new rules, but otherwise upheld them.

After conducting an environmental review, the board readopted the trash standards in 2007.

In the meantime, some cities in the watershed, including Los Angeles, started installing screens and collection systems to keep street debris from washing into sewers. Sixteen cities in the watershed recently received $10 million in federal stimulus money to outfit their catch basins.

Local officials pointed to progress Thursday. "We have taken trash reduction seriously," said Signal Hill Councilman Larry Forester.

Another official showed the board photographs he took after Monday's storm. Parts of the river that have been coated with trash in the past were largely clean.

Local representatives argued that it wasn't necessary to write a target of zero trash discharges into the storm permits, and that doing so would set a burdensome precedent for other pollutants.

Lakewood Accountability Action Group™ LAAG | www.LAAG.us | Lakewood, CA
A California Non Profit Association | Demanding action and accountability from local government™

click here to receive LAAG posts by email

Lack of Street Sweeping sends trash to Long Beach

We have said it over and over on this website yet government leaders only pay lip service to this problem. Trash anywhere on the streets and sidewalks of Lakewood heads straight into the ocean in Long Beach. This story along with photos on LBReport.com graphically exemplifies what we are talking about. Quite frankly it is sad that a city the size of Long Beach (the 5th largest city in the state) allows other cities to dump their trash on its beaches. If I ran the city of Long Beach I would send the clean up bill to the County of LA and each city in the County. Perhaps that would spur some real action in cities like Lakewood that are afraid to take on the "free parking anywhere anytime lobby".

The solution is simple:

1. Real weekly street sweeping the day after trash day with ALL vehicles moved or towed out of the way. ALL streets must be swept weekly; the Lakewood clean sweep program has a LONG way to go. Right now only 1/4 of the city streets are swept and parking enforcement is weak or non existent. Worse it has taken the city over 30 years to even attempt a fix on the street pollution problem. We have written about this previously.

2. More trash cans everywhere on public and private property. We have asked for public trash cans for trash throwing Mayfair HS students on various streets with virtually no response from the city. Typical. These trash cans also have to be dumped once a week or more often.

3. Holding businesses and residences responsible for trash and other potential run off problems on or near their premises (like oil from cars on the streets and driveways);

4. Taking littering seriously and addressing the problem with laws and citations. It is just a plain lack of concern and enforcement;

5. Once the trash makes it to the storm drains and the LA or San Gabriel River it is the responsibility of the County of LA to clean it out before the rain starts. This may need to be done weekly during the rainy season. There should be inspections before anticipated rain. The County seems to have the time to lock gates on the river preceding a rain so it can also clean up the trash while its down there.

We complain about beach pollution yet we let this trash pileup in the ocean occur. We needs to stop the slobs that are heaving trash out their vehicle windows (including glass bottles) and start encouraging everyone to police this own neighborhoods for trash in the street.

Lakewood Accountability Action Group™ LAAG | www.LAAG.us | Lakewood, CA
A California Non Profit Association | Demanding action and accountability from local government™

click here to receive LAAG posts by email

Re: enforcement of "no parking" in the Thursday sweeping area

At 12:37 PM 10/13/2007, Todd Rogers wrote:

This is part of the previously announced warning period.......which ends later this month. When that happens, the tickets will have fines associated with them.

These types of dramatic changes to people's lives need to be gradually implemented. Otherwise the push back will be overwhelming and counterproductive. Anyone who has spent any time in public service/administration understands this. The City of LA sure doesn't have anything on Lakewood.

"previously announced warning period"? No mention of that here < http://www.lakewoodcity.org/thenews/cleansweep.asp> nor on the letter mailed out nor on the door hanger cards.

What will the fine be? Second offense increase? Third offense?

Look we are not touting city of LA. Heaven knows they have their problems, starting with LAPD. However as much "bad" press as LA gets (see fox news link in prior email) on their "Draconian" parking enforcement they push right on ahead writing tickets and booting and towing cars. I have seen tickets for cars in parking garages with no front licence and tinted windows. Parking tickets! Now thats revenue generation and making people toe the line. Does LA worry about pushback? No. It sure beats pushback from LASD's "Operation Any Booking". Of course there will be push back. No one wants to comply with laws. You know that working for LASD. But like I have said many times before. Lakewood has created this scofflaw haven and these residents thinking that as property owners they can do what ever they want due to the fact that for years there has been no enforcement of parking and zoning laws (especially aesthetics related) except by complaint, which of course makes the complainer the bad guy and not the city, which quite frankly is wrong. It is also an effective way to limit enforcement. The City should take the heat for law/zoning enforcement. Not the residents. I am not blaming you for the fear of "push back" nor for the current situation due to years of lack of enforcement. But people are going to need to start taking their medicine. I suspect that is why voters voted in a law and order guy like you. And remember warning do nothing for the most part as you have already spend thousand on public education on this. The only way to change behavior like this is fine people. That is what most governments do. They are all grownups and most have had speeding or parking tickets before.

enforcement of “no parking” in the Thursday sweeping area

Date: Sat, 13 Oct 2007 08:47:59 -0700
To: "Doug Butler Parking Control Sup" <DButler@lakewoodcity.org>, "Natasha Martin, lead parking control officer" <NMartin@lakewoodcity.org>
From: Lakewood Accountability Action Group | LAAG <updates@LAAG.us>
Subject: enforcement of "no parking" in the Thursday sweeping area
Cc: "Paolo Beltran, St. Sweeping" <pbeltran@lakewoodcity.org>, "Diane Perkin, Dir. Admin. Ser." <dperkin@lakewoodcity.org>, "Todd Rogers, City Council" <TSRR@msn.com>, <TRodgers@lakewoodcity.org>, "Joe Esquivel, City Council" <bayoujo@aol.com>, <JEsquive@lakewoodcity.org>, "Larry Van Nostran, city council" <oldeacon@aol.com>, <LVanNost@lakewoodcity.org>, "Steve Croft, city council" <stacro@aol.com>, <SCroft@lakewoodcity.org>, "Diane DuBois, City Council" <DDuBois@lakewoodcity.org>,

The following statement on your website is not correct. (see below) I have seen cars ticketed twice in Oct. in the "new" "test area" but the parking "ticket" (looks like a genuine ticket printed off a eticket handheld machine) which is still on the car says "warning" with "$0.00" for fines. The car was for sale and not in front of a residence which I understand is also illegal, but there was no fine for that either. Since when do cities bother writing parking tickets with no fines? Does "enforcement" of parking laws mean issuing warnings? I have never seen such a city. City of LA would laugh you people out of the room. LA is Rhino booting cars and towing them. < http://www.lacity-parking.org/laopm/boot.htm> < http://www.myfoxla.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail;jsessionid=999480B97CA941E52D58DE04B09BCE6F?contentId=4383422&version=3&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=1.1.1&sflg=1 > Spending money to hire meter maids to write no fine tickets and then tout "enforcement" crackdowns. This is like Alice in Wonderland. The city needs to change its motto from "times change values dont " to "parking laws change tickets dont"

http://www.lakewoodcity.org/news/displaynews.asp?NewsID=1018
The Lakewood City Council has approved the first phase of a citywide "no parking" plan that will begin in the Thursday street sweeping area of northern Lakewood. The enforcement of "no parking" in the Thursday sweeping area will begin in October, following a thorough public education effort.

The slobs will now cost you...

Well thanks to cities not street sweeping the streets as they should (cleared of parked vehicles) and ticketing cars that leak oil on the street and driveways and failing to take care of rampant litter problems the rest of us will have to pay for the slobs. Typical.

A parcel fee for clean water?
County may charge property owners to raise $30B to clear runoff
By Alison Hewitt Staff Writer
http://www.whittierdailynews.com/news/ci_7019912

County officials are considering a plan to raise money for clean water by adding a fee to the tax bills sent to property owners.

Almost every aspect of the proposal is still being developed - whether or not to go forward with a campaign, how much money county residents might be assessed, or what form an assessment would take.

Approximately $30 billion is needed over the next 20 years to clean up the county's storm water runoff, which regularly pollutes rivers and the coastline, said Donald Wolfe, the head of Public Works.

If the county fails to act, it could face expensive lawsuits from environmental groups for failing to comply with state and federal clean water acts, warned William Fujioka, the county's CEO.

The supervisors put $3.5 million aside for a study and campaign, and other uses. The study would explore whether voters might approve a ballot measure asking for the tax money.

A portion of the funds would go to support a possible campaign in favor of the initiative.

Another portion of the money could go toward engineering studies and consultant fees.

Supervisors Michael Antonovich and Don Knabe opposed the move.

"We've asked for a lot of information,and we've yet to receive any," Knabe said.

Antonovich said the county shouldn't be picking up the bill for clean-water requirements mandated by the federal government.

"Let's not let our (congressional) delegation off the hook," Antonovich said. "The county of Los Angeles, like other counties, does not have the ability to implement all of the mandates from the federal government. When the federal government imposes these types of mandates ... they have a responsibility of funding those."

Although only three votes were required to set aside the $3.5 million and give the go-ahead to Fujioka, four votes will be required if the supervisors decide to put the issue to voters in a countywide election, noted Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky.

However, there is a way to do it with three votes, said Judith Fries, principal deputy county counsel.

Fujioka's office is considering a mail ballot to property owners instead of a countywide vote. Mail ballots must be authorized under a specific statute, Fries said.

The flood-control act and the health and safety code are two avenues being explored as linchpins for such a ballot, Fries said. Using flood-control statutes would require three supervisor votes for a mail ballot, while health and safety would require four votes, according to Fries.

Whatever form the ballot takes, Yaroslavsky said the fee could help clean up county beaches that are frequently closed due to pollution after a rainstorm.

After last weekend's showers, he had to explain to visiting relatives that it wasn't safe to go in the water, he said. "We're not the Third World," Yaroslavsky said.

Fujioka was careful to point out that the supervisors' vote does not mean the county will move forward with a parcel fee.

"A decision has not been made to do it," Fujioka said. "It will take a significant effort to even determine - if we do a parcel tax - what one person's share would be, and it will take a huge amount of support from the community."

The $3.5 million will give his office a chance to "explore an appropriate funding method," he said.

"I don't want to say property tax ... the primary focus right now is a parcel fee."

A parcel fee would show up on property tax bills and be based on how much each parcel contributed to the region's pollution, said Wolfe. The fee would be calculated based on the size of the parcel, how the property is used (residential or industrial, for example), and runoff amounts.

Runoff would be determined based on whether the property had large amounts of open ground where water could seep in, or large amounts of paved surfaces that water would rush off, Wolfe said.

"The beaches get closed every time there's a storm because of the pollution ... the urban slobber ... that we as citizens are continually dumping into the storm drain," Wolfe said.

Early polls indicate that people would be willing to pay $20-$40 per parcel, enough to raise $100 million annually but still far short of what is needed, Wolfe said.

"The board would have to make a decision," he added, "as to whether or not they are going to give the voters an option to say yes or no."

alison.hewitt@sgvn.com

(626) 962-8811, Ext. 2730

Lakewood Accountability Action Group™ LAAG | www.LAAG.us | Lakewood, CA
A California Non Profit Association | Demanding action and accountability from local government™

This is why we have no parking on street sweeping days

For those of you that have not yet seen the connection between parked cars blocking effective weekly street sweeping and the effects of this county wide run off problem read below. If I lived in a beach city in So. Calif I would be very mad at cities that did not have an effective weekly street sweeping program. Lakewood claims to be getting their act together in Fall 07 by weeping the northern quarter of the city. Well see. What is most funny is that all the glossy costly car window fliers we are paying for (to alert parking violators of the news laws) will likely end up in the gutter and in the ocean as well! Lakewood residents for the most part seem to be interested in two things: the right to shoot of fireworks whenever and where ever they want and the right to park 12 vehicles near their home whenever and wherever they want. Pollution is not important. Find one trait and the other is likely to be there as well. Hey its not my beach or my ocean. That's Long Beach's problem!




http://www.surfline.com/surfnews/surfwire.cfm?id=11255
First Rain Brings Pollution, Toxins to Los Angeles Waters
September 21, 2007
PRESS RELEASE

Heal the Bay today issued a health advisory to Southland residents and visitors to avoid water contact at Los Angeles County beaches for 72 hours, following the area's first significant rainfall after a record drought period.

The county's 5,000-mile storm drain system is designed to channel rainwater to the ocean to prevent local flooding. But it also has the unintended function of moving pollution directly into the Santa Monica and San Pedro bays. After heavy rains, more than 70 major outfalls spew manmade debris, animal waste, pesticides, automotive fluids and human-gastrointestinal viruses into the marine ecosystem.

This pollution poses human health risks, kills marine life and dampens the tourist economy. The so-called first flush is especially worrisome this year, which is the driest in 130 years. Debris and toxins have been accumulating for months on sidewalks, roadways and riverbeds and are now being washed into the storm drains. Exposure to this runoff can cause a variety of illnesses, most frequently stomach flu.

During dry months, Heal the Bay and county health officials urge swimmers to stay 100 yards from flowing storm drains, which have been shown to have elevated levels of known carcinogens and pathogens. Experts agree after a major rainfall that local beachgoers should stay out of the water entirely for at least 72 hours.

"The first heavy rain of the season is a real eye opener about the extent of marine-bound debris in our storm drains," said Karin Hall, executive director of Heal the Bay. "That's why we're working so hard to address the root causes of this kind of pollution."

County storm drains typically handle 100 million gallons of contaminated water and debris each day, but one rainstorm in Los Angeles County can generate nearly 10 billion gallons of water. Sewage treatment plants, which process storm-drain runoff from major pipes in dry months, simply can't handle the excess load during major storms.

Local residents contribute to debris buildup by dropping nearly 1 million cigarette butts on the ground each month, according to L.A. County Department of Public Works estimates. Citizens walk a dog without picking up the droppings more than 82,000 times per month, and they hose off driveways and sidewalks into storm drains more than 415,000 times each month.

During the rainy season, Heal the Bay reminds residents that they can take steps in their own home to take pressure off an already taxed storm drain system. Among them: keep trash out of gutters and storm drains, dispose of animal waste and automotive fluids properly, and avoid overwatering lawns and plants. (Visit www.healthebay.org/waystoheal for more tips.)

Heal the Bay is a non-profit environmental group dedicated to making California coastal waters, including the Santa Monica Bay, safe and healthy for people and marine life. On Sept. 15, the organization last week mobilized 11,000 volunteers who removed 80,000 pounds of ocean-bound debris from county waterways as part of California Coastal Cleanup Day.

Lakewood Accountability Action Group™ LAAG | www.LAAG.us | Lakewood, CA
A California Non Profit Association | Demanding action and accountability from local government™

Big mystery solved

We'll say it again: Cars parked on the street during weekly (hopefully) street sweeping prevents the sweeper from clearing out the nasty stuff in the gutter that contributes to bacteria in the summer time runoff. Long Beach is just now starting to figure this out. When will they figure out that Lakewood (and other cities) are polluting the water in the San Gabriel River due to lousy street sweeping practices? LAAG could have figured this out for free.

Making waves
Long Beach is getting to the bottom of polluted beaches.
Article Launched: 08/08/2007 09:34:37 PM PDT

Long Beach Assistant City Manager Christine Shippey and health and water experts met with the editorial board earlier this week and delivered cautiously optimistic news: The city and county may have pinpointed some of the major sources of bacteria polluting Alamitos Bay.

This is potentially promising information about some of the city's most-polluted waters. Alamitos Bay bacteria levels have routinely exceeded state standards, leading the National Resources Defense Council and Heal the Bay to label some city beaches among the worst in the region.

One of the key sources of bacteria is now believed to be the Alamitos Bay Pump Station, which has been sending untreated storm water into the bay near the Leeway Sailing Center. Another pump station near the Bay Shore Avenue bridge at Second Street was also believed to be feeding runoff into the bay.

Storm pumps are not designed to treat water, only divert it to prevent flooding, which is not usually an issue in summer. But urban runoff and other sources that were supposed to be diverted were building up in the pipes and causing the county-owned pumps to kick in and do their jobs.

The water, which largely came from Long Beach-area sources, was circulating
throughout the Bay and over to Mother's and Bay Shore beaches. City health officials said in a follow-up interview that the pipes normally contain high levels of bacteria, which could be an additional source along with runoff.

Working with the county sanitation district, Supervisor Don Knabe and 3rd District Councilman Gary DeLong, the city and county diverted the waters into the storm drain system. A test this week showed Alamitos Bay water within state standards, but health officials are not ready to proclaim victory because they want to see a pattern of improvement. Water, as per state standards and funding levels, is tested weekly, not daily.

Other potential sources of pollution have also been investigated. The city has sent divers to examine boats for leaky lines and also looked at beach restrooms, illegal dumping and other likely sources. Shippey likens the effort to detective work and said the sleuthing will continue.

When asked about the breakwater's role in pollution, Shippey said the city doesn't yet know its impact on water quality, but the City Council has funded what is believed to be the first in a series of tests that may lead to answers. Another city official said the breakwater would not likely impact bacteria levels - only one type of pollution - in Alamitos Bay, but could play a role on other city beaches.

One could assume that wave action would cleanse the entire area, but that is not always the case. Water quality in sections of Huntington Beach, Santa Monica and Malibu - all places with sizeable waves - has been abysmal at times. That said, we believe that studies of the breakwater should go forward.

Other big sources of Long Beach pollution are better known, particularly runoff from the Los Angeles River, which snakes through 50 miles of concrete before emptying pollutants into the Long Beach harbor. There are also drought-like conditions that allow pollutants to build up on streets and sidewalks, animal waste and people hosing - instead of sweeping - their driveways.

One thing is clear: There are multiple sources of pollution, and the city isn't ruling out anything. The council recently created a task force to study water quality and ways to solve the problems.

For now, it looks like one major leak has been plugged.

Lakewood Accountability Action Group™ LAAG | www.LAAG.us | Lakewood, CA
A California Non Profit Association | Demanding action and accountability from local government™

Will the streets ever get swept?

Again and again we have told Lakewood that until the parking problem get under control and there is some enforcement of parking rules, the gutters will remain dirty and the the city will continue to waste money on hiring the sweeper to drive down the middle of the street as no one will move their car (as none ever gets a ticket). The city even refuses to enforce the vehicle code (state law). Cars routinely park across the sidewalk blocking driveways making it very difficult for small kids or the handicapped to use the sidewalk. Well fortunately the state is no longer letting cities skate on their dirty streets any longer. Read more on the Water/Urban Runoff problem under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) and the State Water Resources Control Board. Which means parking has to get under control.

Finally the city is taking some long overdue action via this letter to north Lakewood residents in the "test area". Now lets see some enforcement.


Sweeping parking ban test due
Trial of enforcement method planned in north.
By Karen Robes, Staff writer
Article Launched: 07/14/2007 12:32:46 AM PDT

LAKEWOOD - On many Lakewood roads, street sweepers often have to maneuver around parked cars and vehicles to clear out leaves, trash and other debris, leaving some not-so-tidy streets.

But next year, officials may ban parking during street sweeping hours if a fall pilot program in northern Lakewood is successful.

The City Council this week agreed to test street sweeping enforcement every Thursday beginning on Oct. 4 in northern Lakewood, where about 4,000 households will be affected, said city spokesman Don Waldie.

There will be two sets of street-sweeping hours: 7 a.m. to noon and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Implementing a citywide program would guarantee that streets would be well swept and prevent more trash from ending up in storm drains and ultimately the ocean, Waldie said.

Northern Lakewood was picked for the first phase of enforcement because the area's diverse mix of homes, businesses and apartment units allows the city to perfect the sweeping process and deployment of equipment.

"It's a good test area to learn all that we can about rolling out this massive change to people's lives," Waldie said.

As it stands, the city sweeps the streets, but only 34 percent of Lakewood has no-parking signs on street-sweeping days.

Residents in that 34 percent had to petition for the enforcement by securing at least two-thirds support from the neighborhood for streets to be cleared for weekly sweeping.

Citywide enforcement would eliminate the petition process, Waldie said.

Lakewood Accountability Action Group™ LAAG | www.LAAG.us | Lakewood, CA
A California Non Profit Association | Demanding action and accountability from local government™

Long Beach Suffers Dramatic Drop in Water Quality

All of the nasty stuff in the Lakewood gutters goes right into the San Gabriel River and then into Long Beach. Now they have the dirtiest water around. Again this is what happens when you don't sweep the streets weekly!

Heal the Bay's 17th Annual California Beach Report Card™ for 2006-2007

Long Beach Suffers Dramatic Drop in Water Quality

In Los Angeles County, the Long Beach area suffered a dramatic drop in water quality during the last year. Long Beach saw 24 of 28 reporting locations register a “C,” “D” or “F,” a dramatic change for a city that has a history of good water quality. As a result, the city of Long Beach has the dubious distinction of being ranked as the #1 “Beach Bummer” in this year’s report (see sidebar at right).

Long Beach has traditionally fared well in the Beach Report Card despite the fact its beaches are completely enclosed by a breakwater. Typically, beaches located inside a breakwall are more prone to poor water quality than open ocean beaches, but this has not been an issue for Long Beach except at Colorado Lagoon.

Heal the Bay plans to work quickly with officials in Long Beach to get to the bottom of the dramatic change in their water quality, and begin making recommendations for improvements immediately.

State mandates relating to clean storm water and pollution-prevention

Court Ruling to Help County, Cities Fund Clean Storm Water Programs, CPR Says
May 15, 2007

Decision Means Better, More Effective Pollution-Prevention Efforts at Local Level; Judge Says Statute Preventing Communities from Receiving State Aid for ‘Unfunded Mandates’ is Unconstitutional

SIGNAL HILL, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A recent decision by the California Court of Appeals in Los Angeles will bring funding to local communities to help pay for State mandates relating to clean storm water and pollution-prevention measures. The ruling will help usher an array of clean storm water and anti-pollution programs in communities throughout the region.

Stating that “a statute cannot trump the constitution,” the California Court of Appeals in Los Angeles Thursday ruled that a statute preventing municipalities from obtaining state funding for new or more expensive programs mandated by the State Water Resources Control Board, or regional water quality control boards, is unconstitutional.

The unanimous opinion by the Court of Appeals affirmed a May 2005 ruling by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Victoria Chaney holding that Government Code Section 17516 conflicted with the California Constitution.

Article XIIIB, section 6 of the constitution provides that whenever the Legislature or a state agency “mandates a new program or higher level of service on any local government,” the state must provide a “subvention” of state funds to reimburse the local government “for the costs of the program or increased level of service.” This provision was added to the California constitution by voter initiative in 1979.

The Government Code section declared unconstitutional by the Court of Appeals exempted from eligibility for state reimbursement various orders or regulations issued by the State Water Board or regional boards. As a result, local governments had been prevented from arguing to the Commission on State Mandates, which determines whether state funding is appropriate, that the cost of complying with these orders or regulations was recoverable as an “unfunded state mandate.”

In recent years, the State and regional water boards have imposed a number of new requirements on counties and cities across the state, including requirements relating to municipal storm water permits and other requirements addressing pollutants in storm water. The cost of these requirements is in the billions of dollars, yet relatively little state bond funding has been available.

As a result, the County of Los Angeles and 22 cities sued the Commission on State Mandates, arguing that the Government Code section conflicted with the constitutional provision allowing for state funding. Judge Chaney agreed, and the Commission appealed her ruling to the Court of Appeals.

The ruling by the Court of Appeals means that local governments will now be able to seek reimbursement for the cost of programs required by the State Water Board or the regional boards.

“It’s a victory for taxpayers, and a victory for the environment,” said Larry Forester, who heads the Coalition for Practical Regulation, a membership organization committed to supporting the environment through State-funded programs. “Communities will not be forced to choose between funding clean water programs and essential services like police and fire. Better still, this ruling will greatly improve the environment because cities will be able to adopt more cost-effective pollution prevention programs.”

Copies of complete Court ruling, excerpts and details are available on request. For story assistance call Jeff Hobbs, City of Bellflower, at (562) 804-1424 ext. 2278.

Trash: city councils just dont get the run off issue

HELLO....can you read? The reason trash ends up in the rivers is two fold:

1. Most people are slobs and feel no guilt in chucking any kind of trash out their car window; (do you think paper cups just blow out of peoples hands? duh)

2. Cities refuse to understand that unless ALL cars are removed from ALL streets before sweeping (parking control issue) and ALL streets are swept ONCE per week, the trash problem will persist. Not only trash but toxic chemicals (oil, anti freeze etc.) that leak from crappy junk cars

Just look at the gutters in Lakewood on major streets near shopping centers. Major streets (or where trash is an issue) should be swept 3x a week.

WAKE UP CITIES!! This puzzle is easy to solve. You (ie the taxpayers) have to clean up after the slobs!!

Long Beach officials talk trash
Environment: Litter in the L.A. River is ending up in L.B.
By Tomio Geron, Staff writer
Article Launched: 03/23/2007


Tons of trash littered in the Los Angeles River end up in Long Beach. Here, the river is shown as it passes downtown. Long Beach City Council members met with Van Nuys officials and environmental experts Friday in a bid to address the issue collectively.(Steven Georges / Press-Telegram )

LONG BEACH - Tons of trash that wind up in the 51 miles of Los Angeles River all end up in one place: Long Beach.

To address the problem, Long Beach Councilwoman Suja Lowenthal and Assemblyman Lloyd Levine of Van Nuys held a forum Friday with local officials and environmental experts to search for solutions.

Lowenthal is interested in working with other municipalities along the river to assist them in their litter prevention efforts.

"If we strengthen other cities, it'll strengthen Long Beach," Lowenthal said.

Many residents have a willingness to stop littering and help clean up, said Melinda Barrett of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works.

What works to decrease litter, Barrett found, are community-based approaches, including putting up billboards, working with community groups, and educating children through schools.

Many children often educate their parents to the problem, she said.

Lowenthal said the city of Long Beach plans to involve six of its eight comprehensive high schools for two weeks around Earth Day to promote an anti-litter message and incorporate that into science classes and other school activities.

However, a statewide initiative is also
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necessary make a strong impact, said Steven Aceti, executive director of the California Coastal Coalition.

"The state needs a comprehensive, highly-funded litter education program," he said. "Cities aren't going to be able to do it \."

Lowenthal emphasized the benefits of partnering between "unusual suspects" to achieve larger gains in stemming the trash tide.

Lowenthal cited the city's partnership with the Aquarium of the Pacific on anti-litter campaigns, which draw on the aquarium's expertise in environmental issues.

In addition to residents who litter, companies that produce packaging and other materials that end up in the water also bear responsibility, said Mark Murray, executive director of Californians Against Waste.

"Certainly there's a behavior component, but that's not the primary problem," Murray said. "It's a materials problem. The majority of packaging is paper, but the main litter is plastic. Producers of materials need to bear greater responsibility for it."

Some small changes could help, Lowenthal noted, such as a dry cleaners accepting old hangers or giving cartons for customers to collect the hangers.

Levine said everyone bears responsibility. He said three sources of litter in rivers all need to be addressed: "pre-litter," or source reduction, such as compact disk "long boxes" that were successfully eliminated; consumer level waste, once people buy something, to prevent them from littering; and litter actually in the water.

Levine noted that he proposed a bill last year, which goes into effect this year, to force large stores to collect and recycle plastic bags.

Tomio Geron can be reached at tomio.geron@presstelegram.com or at (562) 499-1292.

what happens when cars block street sweepers

When Lakewood allows cars to park on the street on street sweeping day and ALL streets are not swept once a week in Lakewood this is what happens to our beaches. Photo from Long Beach Press Telegram.


Long Beach Press Telegram
The effluent society
Article Launched:12/11/2006

Vegetation hangs from a guy wire connected to a 700-foot trash boom in the mouth of the Los Angeles River in Long Beach on Monday. Approximately 150 tons of trash, including yard clippings, cans of motor oil, tires and a wide variety of refuse was collected from the river after heavy rains over the weekend flushed out the storm sewers of the Los Angeles Basin.

Darryl M. Sexton, Long Beach health officer, has issued a public health advisory for city beaches. Residents are urged not to swim in local waters for at least 72 hours after the last rainfall.

After rainfall of a tenth of an inch or more, storm drain runoff and rivers can contain bacteria from animal waste, litter, fertilizers and decomposing vegetation.

Exposure to contaminated water can lead to flu-like symptoms, gastrointestinal illnesses, skin rashes and eye infections.

More information about water quality in Long Beach is available at www.longbeach.gov/health or by calling (562) 570-4199.

Scott Smeltzer / Press-Telegram