An overreliance on plastic and styrofoam that often end up in oceans and beaches is now defining a new generation of people, according to some local residents at a recent community meeting.
The topic in question is the $3-million San Pedro Ecosystem Restoration Study, funded and led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which is evaluating the feasibility of removing the Long Beach breakwater, an 8.5-mile man-made structure that stretches along San Pedro and Long Beach.
The Army Corps hosted two community meetings on April 7 to detail some of the study’s guidelines and objectives, but it also primarily sought out to receive input from the public on the study for further evaluation.
“All of the trash comes and lands in our beaches,” a longtime Long Beach resident said during the first meeting’s public-comment forum. “If you look at the old pictures, I don’t know where the trash was in those days (early 1950s), but it’s certainly there now. I think it’s going to be a huge challenge to be able to make improvements and not jeopardize people’s homes.”
Army Corps officials were present at the meetings to detail the guidelines and considerations the team is making when approaching the study.
Some key members of the study include: Eduardo DeMesa, planning chief; Eileen Takata, lead planner; Larry Smith, environmental coordinator; and Monica Eichler, project manager.
Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia was also a major component in kickstarting the study. He was present during the first meeting to give some brief insight on the breakwater and the research.
“There are folks that have very strong opinions about the breakwater, about the study, about the port, about the importance of our coast, about restoring the ecosystem and all of those issues that are really important,” Garcia said about the three-year restoration study and some of the public’s concerns. “At the forefront, the study is not just about ecosystem restoration, but also about safety… this is a serious process, and oftentimes there is a lot of emotion, and it’s an important issue to me…This is about getting data, the science, and making smart decisions based on the science.”
During the meeting, primarily helmed by Takata, it was established that the objective of the Army Corps is to explore the coastal tidal flow in the breakwater area and to seek out signs of damage to the ecosystem. Part of the study is to restore the coast back to its natural state as much as possible.
The Army Corps is collecting data for its research in order to determine whether or not it is beneficial to remove parts of the breakwater, eliminate the entire structure or keep it intact altogether.
Smith also gave some feedback on the ecosystem study’s compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which is a federal act that requires agencies to assess the environmental effects of a proposed action in order to consider reasonable alternatives before making a decision on how to proceed.
He said the corps published a federal environmental-impact statement that detailed its approach on the study.
A major concern among residents was the long-term impact that removing or preserving the breakwater may have on the community, specifically, the environmental ramifications.
One Long Beach resident, who claimed he has lived in the city since 1968, said removing the breakwater would lead to major environmental damage.
“If the breakwater is removed or reduced, the environmental impact will be major,” he said, “and it can all lead to irreversible damage to the established local and migratory sea life.”
He added that animals will have limited places to go and migrate if the breakwater is removed, arguing that it could even lead to the destruction of multiple species of organisms and seaweeds— such as plankton and kelp.
There was also an interest in the degree of restoration the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers would take. One resident questioned whether the restoration would revert the area to its pre-naval status, or if the ecosystem would be enhanced based off its current status.
He also asked if the study would have an effect on the ports.
“I’m concerned about the impact waves would have on the port,” he said. “I’m wondering if there would be some sort of cost-benefit analysis for any revenue brought in from tourism compared to the revenue that might be lost if those waves deter shipping from the LA Port or the Long Beach Port.”
The response from Army Corps officials was that part of the process was to see how much restoration the team is trying to shoot for.
More research still needs to be collected, with officials adding that any impacts of the project will be taken into account.
Ultimately, the conversation during the public-forum section of the meeting maintained a focus on trash along the shoreline.
“We are the ending body that have to clean that crap up,” one resident said about the trash, arguing that it builds up quite often along the coastal line of beaches. “We want our homes, but we also want the environment.”
