Proposal would halt discharges at Crystal Cove

Alex Coolman

A regional water board on Tuesday released the proposed text of a

cease-and-desist order that would require the Irvine Co., Caltrans and

several other agencies to quit dumping water at Crystal Cove State Park.

If the order is approved, the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control

Board would demand that the agencies stop discharging water within one to

two years. It also would prohibit new discharges of water at Crystal

Cove, which is considered an area of “special biological significance”

within the state.

The water board will consider adopting the cease-and-desist order at

its Nov. 16 hearing in Irvine.

A spokesperson for the water quality control board could not be

reached for comment late Tuesday.

Laura Davick, founder of the Alliance to Rescue Crystal Cove, said she

was surprised and pleased by the text of the order.

“We’re thrilled about the position that they’ve taken,” Davick said.

“I think that this is a huge step for the regional board.”

The order names not only the Irvine Co., which has been the most

conspicuous target of environmentalists’ criticism when it comes to

Crystal Cove, but also Caltrans, the state Department of Parks and

Recreation and the Laguna Beach School District.

All of the agencies maintain facilities or roads near Crystal Cove.

Irvine Co. spokesman Rich Elbaum said the inclusion of the other

agencies was notable for the attention it drew to the larger problem of

runoff at biologically sensitive beaches.

“It demonstrates that this is not something that’s unique to our

project,” Elbaum said.

Davick said her group plans to meet with state park officials Monday

to discuss pollution problems at Crystal Cove that originate from septic

tanks used by oceanfront bungalows.

The regional board in September said it could not rule on the legality

of discharging water at Crystal Cove without input from the state water

board.

But even though a board meeting on Oct. 4 was widely expected to be an

opportunity for the higher-level agency to issue its opinion, the state

board declined to address the issue.

“Evidently, the state decided to leave this to the regional board,”

Davick said.