The Public Works director told the council on Sept. 28 that Seal Beach is waiting for the EPA to approve the implementation phase request for proposal to put trash interceptor technology in the San Gabriel River.
The council on Sept. 28 received an update on the San Gabriel River Trash Mitigation project. The city recognized Assemblymember Diane Dixon of the 72nd District for her work on the project. Dixon recognized Seal Beach City Council members for the project. Dixon singled out District One Council Member Joe Kalmick for his role in getting the project started. Kalmick credited Dixon with “getting the ball rolling” by forming the San Gabriel River Trash Mitigation working group.
The project, an effort to reduce the amount of trash in the river before it washes up on the sands of Seal Beach, is a regional effort.
Public Works Director Iris Lee gave the council a brief overview.
Lee said the trash issue was a regional issue. According to the San Gabriel River Trash Mitigation Initiative website, Seal Beach accumulates more than 400 tons of trash on the beach each year.
According to Lee, the coalition (the San Gabriel River Trash Mitigation working group) includes Seal Beach, Long Beach, Orange County, Los Angeles County, state and federal policy makers, and regional environmental organizations.
Lee said the project had received $1 million in federal funds through the support of Rep. Dave Min of the 47th District.
According to Lee, the trash interceptor part of the project is awaiting approval from the EPA.
“There’s still quite a bit of work ahead of us,” Lee said.
City staff presented a brief video recognizing Dixon. In the video, District One Council Member Joe Kalmick said Dixon “really stepped up” and formed the working group.
“We have a lot of momentum now,” Kalmick said.
The video continued with an interview with Dixon. She said after the storms of three years earlier, she was appalled at the trash coming down the river.
Dixon said normally when there’s a project like this, there’s a bill passed. “That never happened. We just took it upon ourselves,” Dixon said.
“There is no mandate to do this. We are doing this because we are responsible for our environment,” Dixon said.
Dixon came up to the podium and said she and her good friend Joe Kalmick had been on a journey together.
“No one was cleaning up the water even though the law says the water must be clean,” Dixon said.
“This is one of my favorite projects,” Dixon said.
She said the feasibility study got the project going. She quoted Kalmick as asking where the money would come from and Dixon ran into a member of the Orange County Board of Supervisors. Dixon told them that the river needed to be cleaned up. The money was obtained.
Dixon said the biggest problem was the sea turtles. She said the trash interceptors and storm drain technology would be placed up river so they would not be in the sea turtles’ environment.
Dixon described the project as bipartisan.
“This is not political, this is do the right thing,” Dixon said.
“It takes a village and the villages came together,” Dixon said.
Dixon congratulated Kalmick for his innovation award from the Association of California Cities-Orange County.
Dixon said Kalmick alerted her to the problem, she got involved, and she was happy.
“Thank you, Joe, it’s been a pleasure to work with you,” Dixon said.
Kalmick came down from the dais. They hugged. The audience applauded. Dixon presented him with a framed certificate of recognition. She then gave framed certificates to each of the five City Council members one by one, including Kalmick.
Councilman Kalmick said when he approached Dixon, he said he needed some help and his voice wasn’t going to carry much further than the borders of Seal Beach.
“She was a bulldog about it,” Kalmick said, apparently referring to Dixon.
“There’s really no turning back,” Kalmick said.
Dixon received a standing ovation as she left.