MILLENNIUM MOMENT

The fate of Upper Newport Bay is something that’s never far from the

minds of Jack and Nancy Skinner, the Newport Beach husband-and-wife

activists who have worked to protect the bay from sewage, pesticides, and

other pollutants.

The Skinners first became concerned with the fate of the bay in the

mid-1980s, when bacteria counts were continually rising and only one pump

station existed to deal with the waste from 10,000 boats. Then, too,

there was the nitrate situation: 16,000 pounds of nitrates were being

dumped into the bay on a daily basis.

The Skinners worked with business and civic leaders to find solutions for

these problems. Today, Jack continues to serve as the environmental

representative on the San Diego Creek Watershed Management Committee,

while Nancy has been closely involved with the work on the proposed

Greenlight initiative to slow development in Newport Beach.

* MILLENNIUM MOMENT celebrates the people who have made a major

contribution to the Newport-Mesa community during this century.