Wetlands bill becomes law

Paul Clinton

NEWPORT BEACH -- Assemblyman John Campbell (R-Irvine) celebrated his

first major legislative victory Friday when Gov. Gray Davis signed a

wetlands bill he sponsored that could help filter urban runoff to the

Back Bay.

The legislation, known as Assembly Bill 810, will allow the Irvine

Ranch Water District to install man-made wetlands in various sections of

the watershed that feeds into Upper Newport Bay.

“One of the keys to me is [giving] a single agency with a proven track

record the responsibility for cleaning up the entire waterway,” Campbell

said. “I’m certainly very pleased that [the governor] sees the benefit of

the bill and signed it.”

The wetlands would be put in place to filter out urban runoff from

nearby housing projects and other developments before it flows into the

San Diego Creek and to the Back Bay.

District officials praised their wetlands project in a statement

released Friday afternoon.

“This is a cost-effective, environmentally sound alternative for

handling dry weather runoff,” said district general manager Paul D. Jones

II.

The district has begun planning on the project, isolating nearly 60

locations along the watershed where the wetlands could be installed.

Between 10 and 30 wetlands could ultimately be installed, said Norris

Brandt, the project manager.

The district is moving forward with its environmental review of the

project.

Campbell’s bill encountered little resistance along the path toward

becoming law. It will become law Jan. 1.

The Assembly passed the bill 69 to 1 on May 17. Only freshman

Assemblyman Edward Chavez (D-Industry) opposed it. Chavez later changed

his vote to an abstention.

Local environmentalists also have put up few roadblocks. Bob Caustin,

the founder of Defend the Bay who has had several legal tangles with the

water district, has called it innocuous, though he said he worried that

the bill would allow for illegal land seizure.