HomeMy WebLinkAbout03.26.1990 Item #F-9bMarch 26, 1990
TO:
FROM:
SUBJECT:
CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH
Marine Department
MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
Marine Director
Agenda Item No. F. 9. (b)
BY THE CITY COUNCIL
CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH
MAR ?_ Ig90
HARBOR QUALITY COMMITTEE LETTER FOR MAYOR'S
SIGNATURE
The Harbor Quality Committee, at their meeting of March 8, 1990,
reviewed the attached letter for the Mayor's signature and
unanimously recommended that the City Council request the Mayor to
sign this letter which is directed to the California Department of
Food and Agriculture.
The letter requests that the California Department of Food and
Agriculture cease issuing permits for the use of pesticides
containing endosulfan onto agricultural crops in the San Diego
Creek watershed.
The Harbor Quality Committee reviewed a report from a
representative of the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control
Board. The report recommends that other pesticides less toxic to
the marine env'ronment could be used.
David Harshbarger
Marine Director
cc: Jean Watt, Chairman, Harbor Quality Committee
Mayor
Ruthelyn Plummer
Mayor Pro Tem
Phil Sansone
Council Members
John C. Cox, Jr.
Evelyn R. Hart
Donald A. Strauss
Clarence J. Turner
Jean H. Watt
CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH
OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
March 26, 1990
Mr. Henry Voss, Director
California Department of Food and Agriculture
1220 North Street
Sacramento, CA 94271-00001
Dear Mr. Voss:
Recently a Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board
representative presented a status report on water quality in Newport
Bay to our City's Harbor Quality Committee. This information is also
contained in Senate Concurrent Resolution 88.
The Senate report contained the following information: "A notable
trend in the latest State Mussel Watch Program data is the marked
increase in total endosulfan, endosulfan 1, and endosulfan sulfate in
all Newport Bay and watershed stations. This family of chlorinated
organic compounds exhibit low solubility and high persistence in
soils. Endosulfan is a restricted pesticide due to its extreme toxicity
to aquatic organisms. . . Therefore, its sudden increase in
agriculturally oriented drainages merits further investigation."
Elevated endosulfan levels in both the sediments and in fresh water
clams in San Diego Creek were reported.
San Diego Creek flows into Upper Newport Bay, which is one of the
few remaining undeveloped coastal wetlands in the state. Most of
the Upper Bay is protected as a State Ecological Reserve.
City Hall • 3300 Newport Boulevard • P.O. Box 1768 • Newport Beach, California 92658-8915
We have been advised that endosulfan is considered very toxic to
marine life and is presently a restricted pesticide that requires a
permit from the California Department of Food and Agriculture
before use on agricultural lands in the San Diego Creek watershed.
We understand that other pesticides less toxic to the marine
environment could be used.
We are, therefore, seeking your assistance regarding this matter, and
respectfully request that your agency cease issuing permits for the
use of pesticides containing endosulfan on agricultural crops in the
San Diego Creek watershed.
Your prompt attention to this request would be appreciated.
Sincerely,
Ruthelyn P mmer, Mayor
/kcf
cc: Jim Harnett,
Orange County Agricultural Commissioner
Senator Marian Bergeson
Anita Smith, Chairperson
Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board
Senator Ruben Ayala, Chairman
Agriculture and Water Resources Committee
Assemblyman Norman Waters, Chairman
Assembly Committee on Water
Ec�Eo���il
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PRI�Ni�O.n
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Regarding the letter drafted by the Harbor Quality Committee and
placed on the City Council's consent calendar for tHis evening
for approval by the Council, please be advised that the reference
to the Regional Board's report should have been quoted as
follows:
"A NOTABLE TREND IN THE LATEST STATE MUSSEL WATCH PROGRAM DATA IS
THE MARKED INCREASE IN TOTAL ENDOSULFAN, ENDOSULFAN 1 AND
ENDOSULFAN SULFATE IN ALL NEWPORT BAY AND WATERSHED STATIONS.
THIS FAMILY OF CHLORINATED ORGANIC COMPOUNDS EXHIBIT LOW
SOLUBILITY AND HIGH PERSISTENCE IN SOILS. ENDOSULFAN IS A
RESTRICTED PESTICIDE DUE TO ITS EXTREME TOXICITY TO. AQUATIC
ORGANISMS . . . THEREFORE, ITS SUDDEN INCREASE IN AGRICULTURALLY
ORIENTED DRAINAGES MERITS FURTHER INVESTIGATION."
The quote contained in the letter that is in front of the Council
was taken from a draft of the Regional Board's report and
apparently some minor changes were made between the draft and the
final report. If it is important to have the quote be exact, you
may wish to make this change. Sorry for any inconvenience this
may have caused.
Nancy Skinner
March 26, 1990