Wednesday, March 21, 2001
State Resources Secretary, Scripps Researchers, and Local Beach Advocates to Address Threats to California Beaches at Special Science Briefing
Scripps Institution of Oceanography / University of California, San Diego
SCRIPPS CONTACT:
Cindy Clark
858/534-3624
scrippsnews@ucsd.edu
Stanley Young
State of California Resources Agency
916/653-5792
FOR RELEASE: March
21, 2001
Scripps Institution
of Oceanography News Briefing
STATE RESOURCES SECRETARY, SCRIPPS RESEARCHERS, AND
LOCAL BEACH ADVOCATES TO ADDRESS THREATS TO CALIFORNIA BEACHES AT SPECIAL
SCIENCE BRIEFING
Who:
Mary Nichols, Secretary, State of California Resources Agency
Dede Alpert, California State Senator
Dr. Charles Kennel, Director of Scripps Institution of Oceanography
What:
State Resources Secretary Mary Nichols will brief local officials,
Scripps scientists, and environmental advocates about key state programs
to protect California's coastal environment. These vital issues include
the $100 million Clean
Beach Initiative, the $10 million sand renourishment program, and other
important coastal and ocean management programs. Highlights from Scripps
scientists will include the proposed development of new technologies
to more rapidly detect beach water pollution and a $1 million Scripps
study on beach erosion funded by the State of California.
When:
Friday, March 23, 2001 • 12:15 p.m.
Press briefing will begin promptly at 12:15 p.m.
Where:
Munk Laboratory Conference Room, IGPP 8800 Biological Grade on the
Scripps Inst. of Oceanography campus (From La Jolla Shores Drive,
enter Scripps at Naga Way, head north. Watch for BLUE directional
street signs to media-only parking.)
Interviews:
Immediately following the briefing, reporters are invited to tour the
Scripps laboratory conducting new beach erosion research and to interview
Scripps scientists regarding coastal water quality and beach erosion.
For more information, contact the Scripps Communications Office at 858/534-3624.
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Background
The State of California and Scripps Institution of Oceanography
have a long history of working together on critical public policy issues.
State officials are once again calling on the expertise of Scripps researchers
to help preserve and protect California’s precious beaches. At this
briefing, two of the biggest threats to California’s beaches will
be addressed: water quality and beach erosion.
Water Quality
Research on water quality to better understand, utilize, and protect
California's coastal and marine resources is critical in a state where
most of its expanding population live in coastal areas. State Resources
Secretary Mary Nichols is visiting Scripps to learn more about new technologies
proposed by Scripps scientists to more rapidly detect beach water pollution.
Governor Gray Davis recently announced a $100 million Clean Beach Initiative.
The initiative is designed to clean up storm-water runoff, reduce beach
closures, and to develop and improve technologies for reducing marine
pollution. With proper funding, key new research initiatives by Scripps
scientists can produce improved methods of pollution detection and create
new tools for source identification.
Beach Erosion
Addressing California's coastal erosion also is a priority for Governor
Davis. Secretary Nichols will outline the Resources Agency's efforts
to protect and properly manage the shoreline. She will highlight recent
investments in this area, including research currently under way at
Scripps that will increase our understanding of beach erosion and monitor
the effectiveness of sand replenishment projects along California's
coast. Through the efforts of Governor Davis and Secretary Nichols,
Scripps researchers have been awarded $1,000,000 in funding for the
Southern California Beach Processes Study.
Impacts on California
The importance of properly managing California's coastline
cannot be overstated. Preserving and protecting California’s beaches
are important economically and environmentally and are of vital concern
to public health.
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Note to broadcast and cable producers: University of California, San Diego provides an on-campus satellite uplink facility for live or pre-recorded television interviews. Please phone or e-mail the media contact listed above to arrange an interview.
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, at University of California, San Diego, is one of the oldest,
largest and most important centers for global science research and education
in the world.
The National Research Council has ranked Scripps first in faculty quality among oceanography programs nationwide
Now in its second century of discovery,
the scientific scope of the institution has
grown to include biological, physical, chemical, geological, geophysical and
atmospheric studies of the earth as a system. Hundreds of research programs
covering a wide range of scientific areas are under way today in 65
countries. The institution has a staff of about 1,300, and annual
expenditures of approximately $155 million from federal, state and private
sources. Scripps operates one of the largest U.S. academic fleets with four
oceanographic research ships and one research platform for worldwide
exploration.
