Santee Councilman Pushes Proposal to Protect the Atmosphere

Santee, the East County community that has, perhaps unfairly, earned a reputation for being a rough and raw cowboy town, is considering a move that could put it on the cutting edge of environmental law.

Under a proposal by Councilman James Bartell, this city of 51,000 people could be the first in San Diego County to enact an ordinance to restrict compounds that are destroying the Earth’s protective ozone layer. On Wednesday, the City Council postponed taking any direct action on the proposal, saying it wants more time to study the idea.

Bartell had wanted the council to ask the city staff to draft a measure within 60 days that would restrict the use and production of chlorofluorocarbons--or CFCs.

Bartell, who described himself as a “longtime environmentalist,” said that he wants Santee to pattern its ordinance after a measure approved earlier this month by the Irvine City Council. The Irvine ordinance is said to be the most comprehensive of its kind in the nation and will become effective on July 1, 1990.

But Santee council members said Wednesday night that they wanted to analyze Irvine’s innovative ordinance in more detail before taking any action.

Besides fast-food restaurants that use some Styrofoam food containers, the measure would affect the construction, manufacturing, refrigeration and air-conditioning industries. The ordinance would prohibit the use and sale of some insulation products. Refrigeration and air-conditioning repair shops would also be required to recycle Freon and prevent its release into the atmosphere.

According to Bartell, the depletion of the ozone layer has been a personal concern for a long time. As a staff aide to Rep. Jim Bates (D-San Diego), Bartell said, he has worked on several environmental issues and legislation supported by the congressman.

Bartell conceded that he does not know how many businesses in Santee would be affected by the proposed ordinance, and he acknowledged that the proposal has so far received a lukewarm response from other council members.

“The feedback I’m getting is that this is a federal issue, and we should let the federal government deal with it,” said Bartell. “I don’t buy that. What the federal government has done is to set standards for industry in general and for regions and cities to meet. It’s going to be local government’s role to ensure that clean air standards are met.”

He said that his detractors have shown “a lack of understanding of the issue.” “It’s not going to harm anyone,” said Bartell. “It’s intended to improve everyone’s quality of life.”

But Teresa McTighe, executive director of the Santee Chamber of Commerce, argued that “you need the broadest jurisdiction available” in order for the ordinance to be effective. The federal government is in a better position to protect the ozone layer and should conduct further studies, she said.

“We feel that it’s such a significant issue the federal government should be the appropriate agency to implement a law. Depletion of the ozone layer is an issue that has worldwide impact. . . . If it’s bad, it’s bad for everybody, not just Santee,” said McTighe.

Bartell’s proposal has not received much response from the merchants who run the estimated 2,000 businesses in Santee, McTighe said. “Not very many merchants are aware of it,” she said.

Both McTighe and Cynthia Vicknair, executive assistant to San Diego City Councilwoman Judy McCarty, noted that there already are some foam containers made from compounds that are not harmful to the environment. However, both women and Bartell said that finding safe alternatives for fluorocarbons presents a problem.

“For example, there are no alternatives to Freon for air conditioning,” said Bartell. “Hopefully, the industry will find alternatives to Freon and other dangerous fluorocarbons.”

Vicknair said that McCarty and other San Diego council members have asked the city manager to work with the Air Pollution Control District and industry representatives to prepare a plan to reduce emissions of CFCs in San Diego.

Jurisdictional boundaries make enforcement of ordinances like the one enacted in Irvine almost impossible, said Vicknair. “What we need is federal and state conformity here in order to put teeth in these laws. . . . If we enacted a similar ordinance in San Diego, what would stop somebody from El Cajon from bringing a harmful foam container to the beach? Enforcement would be very, very difficult,” she said.