In celebration of Earth Day, Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris held a virtual press conference with leading scientists and advocates to highlight the risks threatening California’s coastal communities. The Assemblywoman highlighted legislative efforts to cut green tape and expand coastal protection.
“On Earth Day we renew our focus on protecting and restoring the health of our planet,” said Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-Laguna Beach). “Leading experts across the state are ready with solutions to safeguard our coast from sea-level rise. We must ensure that coastal habitat restoration is a top priority for California, and we can do that by removing bureaucratic Green Tape that’s only slowing down innovative solutions.”
Laguna Beach Local News
By Rita Robinson, Special to the Laguna Beach Independent
A petition asking the California Fish and Game Commission to allow the volunteer removal of Sargassum, aka “devil weed,” which is invading the giant kelp forests along the Laguna Beach coastline, was denied last month.
The request was submitted by marine biologist Nancy Caruso, who was instrumental in replanting 25 acres of kelp off Laguna Beach starting in 2002. Within the following 12 years, that grew to 100 acres of thriving kelp beds and an abundant biodiversity of native fish, algae, mollusks and crustaceans.
“Right now, from what I’ve seen, there’s no kelp at 1000 Steps, there’s no kelp at Cress Street and there’s a small bed on the reefs at Heisler,” Caruso said. “There’s no kelp on the surface anywhere north of there.” Instead, she’s found about 14 sargassum plants every three feet.