Water-quality regulators take aim at Caltrans

Paul Clinton

UPPER NEWPORT BAY -- Water-quality regulators are investigating

Caltrans to determine if the agency should be doing a better job of

cleaning up urban runoff from the Eastern Toll Road into Upper Newport

Bay.

The state water board launched the investigation after a South County

environmentalist filed a complaint.

“The question is really whether Caltrans is responsible for

controlling the quality of the runoff to minimize the amount of

pollution” flowing into the bay, said Kurt Berchtold, assistant executive

officer with the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board. “They’re

required to reduce pollutants.”

The investigation is part of the board’s broader effort to reduce

urban runoff -- motor oils, gasoline, copper residue from brake pads and

other materials sloughed off by vehicles -- from roadways.

The San Diego regional board slapped a cease-and-desist order on the

transportation agency July 18 saying it “failed to . . . properly

maintain and operate” 20 water filters installed along the San Joaquin

Toll Road to reduce pollutants in the runoff.

The Santa Ana board has also ordered Caltrans to stop runoff pollution

from East Coast Highway into Crystal Cove.

Caltrans spokeswoman Beth Beeman was not aware of the investigation

into the Eastern Toll Road.

“We don’t know of any official investigation,” Beeman said. “We

haven’t seen the complaint.”

Activist Michael Hazzard prompted the investigation in a complaint

filed earlier this week. Beeman declined to comment on the accusation.

Orange County’s three existing toll roads -- the Eastern, San Joaquin

and Foothill -- were all designed and built by the Transportation

Corridor Agency and then handed over to Caltrans to maintain.

Transportation Corridor Agency spokeswoman Lisa Telles said the

joint-powers agency defended the design of the roads. When the Eastern

Toll Road was built, the agency installed grassy swales and retention

basins to filter out pollution.

The agency must obtain annual permits from the water board, Telles

said.

“There is a storm-water plan and a water-management plan for the

Eastern Toll Road,” Telles said. “We’re doing everything we’re required

to do.”

Bob Caustin, founder of Defend the Bay, gave the agencies a far lower

grade for their handling of runoff into the bay.

“What they’re doing is making [Upper] Newport Bay their cesspool by

not putting forth the effort to clean up their property,” Caustin said.

“TCA designed the roadway. They get an F. Caltrans operates the roads.

They get an F.”