Doug Fay - Water Resources and the Santa Monica Bay

By Douglas P. "Doug" Fay

From the mountains to the sea are threatened ecological areas in peril

Doug's father Dr. Rimmon C. Fay, with PhD's in Oceanography and Chemistry, thousands of hours under and on the ocean, combined with decades of fighting for environmental protection, was considered by many the leading Santa Monica Bay expert of the 20th century.

In his absents, the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission, which the County actively participates with on many levels, has emerged as the leading authority. Although their mission is to "Restore and enhance the Santa Monica Bay and its tributaries" actions are often taken that Doug Fay does not agree with. In Fay's opinion:

The controversial Malibu Lagoon Project was not comprehensive.

The proposed Oxford Basin Multiuse Enhancement Project MND, which Fay has legally challenged, is a terribly flawed project with potentially significant impacts. The County's representatives insist it is a flood control basin even though Bird Conservation Area designation preceded the flood control easement by nearly 10 years.

The controversial Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve (BWER) restoration proposal includes removing the Ballona Creek levees and allowing the Annenberg Foundation to build a campus on Area C, which is currently prohibited.

Similar to the Malibu and Oxford Lagoons, the BWER project calls for the removal of all vegetation and topsoil, effectively terminating all lifeforms. One of the objectives to the proposed project is to utilize the purportedly restored natural system to cleanse to polluted urban and stormwater runoff before it reaches the Santa Monica Bay.

Doug Fay will fight as his father did, to save the BWER from this proposal that is supported by the current Los Angeles Board of Supervisors.

The current Board touts the Marina Del Rey (MDR) Harbor is a world class recreational facility, they recently voted 5-0 not to improve the water quality of the Harbor, even though it is recognized as an impaired water body by the Regional Water Quality Control Board. Fay submitted written and oral testimony stating the Harbor is our aquarium of the Pacific and needs to be maintained. The County should not be allowed to defer their current responsibilities to our children's generation to solve.

The Santa Monica Bay once was a world class fishery. In its current state, the Bay has an insignificant value as fishery. If elected, Fay will restore integrity in the management of our ecological treasures. With over 10 years of upper watershed management and extensive experience in and on the ocean, Fay will ensure that our ecosystem thrives. So many educational opportunities have been lost. Without a healthy environment we will never truly have a healthy economy.

Fay believes wastewater and stormwater sources need to be captured and treated within the municipalities where they are created, not treated to various levels and discharged into the ocean. It's time to invest in the infrastructure that will get us through the 21st century. We have the technology. We need to elect the candidate that will get it done.

Jobs, education, and environmental stewardship.

Together,

Doug Fay for LA in 2014!