Malibu Lagoon Opponents Further Risk Beach Goers/Wetlands Health

June 1, 2012 - PRLog -- In the next few days, a group of environmental extremists will attempt to block the clean-up of a polluted beach and lagoon at Malibu. They will attempt to portray themselves as representatives of the Malibu community.

You need to know some facts.

The large majority of the people of Malibu DO NOT oppose the lagoon cleanup by State Parks. We just voted in a city council race where the lagoon was a major issue. The three candidates who made it a single issue to oppose the cleanup plan finished 5th, 6th and 7th in a seven-person race.

The Malibu City Council supported the project up until the night before the last election, when it voted to send a letter expressing opposition only to the temporary dewatering treatment plant but not withdrawing its support of the State Parks cleanup plan.

The State Parks cleanup plan is a product of a 20-year effort that included opponents -- until they lost potential contracts to conduct preliminary technical work early in the process, and stomped away from the planning effort.

The City of Malibu Planning Commission approved the state lagoon cleanup project in 2008, and no one appeared there to oppose it.

The Malibu City Council never heard an Planning Commission appeal because no one cared to file it.

The lagoon cleanup had an extensive EIR in 2008-10 and NO ONE filed any comments against it. The state Superior Court and Court of Appeal reviewed the EIR process and found that it was properly advertised, publicized and conducted, and there was NO OPPOSITION to it.

The three jointly-controlled groups together chose to file their lawsuit with a a green-friendly court in San Francisco, instead of Los Angeles, and despite picking the trial judge, they lost on every factual, legal and scientific argument and claim that they made. Their only victory was a one year delay in the project while the State got its act together to prepare its defense.

The state Court of Appeal in one sentence rejected an emergency request for a stay in the project because it found no evidence of wrongdoing and no evidence that the opponents would prevail in court. "The petition is denied as appellants have not met that burden; specifically, they have not demonstrated that the appeal presents an exceptional situation presenting a substantial issue on appeal that, even facially, has merit."

The lawsuits against the Lagoon cleanup were filed by three "environmental" groups controlled by the same organization, the "Ballona Institute." It lost out on lucrative restoration grants and mitigation money at the Playa Vista project ... lost out to the same State Parks and the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission that is fixing Malibu Lagoon. It is a matter of public record that the "Ballona Institute" and the state agencies have disputes running back a decade or more.

The project is endorsed and supported by every federal and state agency that examined it, including the City of Malibu (which has filed last-minute objections only on minor, technical issues regarding the dewatering).

The Real Malibu 411 has fostered relationships with all agencies involved in this project including, scientists, engineers, project planners as local surfers and concerned citizens who support the project

The Real Malibu 411 can gladly provide all of the contacts mentioned above.

therealmalibu411.com

Contact Cece Stein with Rock & Revolution PR, pr@rockandrevolutionpr.com at 310 456 4172