Recently appointed as the fourth member of the California Ocean Protection Council, 35th District State Assemblyman Pedro Nava said he is committed to preserving the 1,100 miles of coastline that make California special.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger created the council in fall 2004 when he signed the California Ocean Protection Act. Nava said the council coordinates the efforts of dozens of state and federal land management agencies concerned with development of coastal land, dealing with matters ranging from oil development to water runoff. Its first meeting was held March 21, 2005.
California Assembly Speaker Fabian Nu–ez (D-Los Angeles) announced Nava’s appointment to the council May 4 in Sacramento. The other members of the council include California Environmental Protection Agency Secretary Alan Lloyd, Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante and State Senator Sheila Kuehl (D-Los Angeles). The fifth position - chair of the State Lands Commission - has not yet been chosen.
Nava said his eight years of experience on the California Coastal Commission (CCC) and his work as a representative for the 35th District, which includes Santa Barbara and portions of Ventura, have prepared him well for his position on the council.
“What I bring is a strong dedication and proven commitment to environmental protection,” Nava said. “In my capacity as a state legislator and my understanding of the lawmaking process, I know how to coordinate with the many different agencies that will somehow improve the coastline.”
Alex Traverso, spokesman for Nu–ez, said Nava’s work with environmental protection efforts in Santa Barbara also made him a strong candidate for the position.
“It starts with the districts he represents,” Traverso said. “Because he represents Santa Barbara, there is a great interest in coastal issues. It is an issue he is passionate about. His credentials alone set him apart.”
Nava said one of his greatest concerns is the environmental health of his district and of California as a whole. He said he feels California’s coast is a limited resource that needs to be actively protected from residential or commercial development.
“For example, the California coastline is 1,100 miles long, and it’s not making any more of it,” he said. “There are tremendous pressures to develop along the coastline. Those pressures have to be carefully evaluated so we don’t destroy that very quality of California that makes it special.”
Nava said the council is still discussing what issues will take priority in the next year and has already held several public hearings and workshops to hear recommendations from coastal development experts.
The council is currently evaluating potential problems, such as non-native and invasive species, endangered species and ecosystem health, Nava said. He said the council will also focus on habitat restoration and management and coastal pollution, and he said a separate agency would be assigned to each task.
Nava said the council will receive $10 million in state funding for its first year. He said he is unsure whether the money will be enough to sufficiently fund the council’s goals, but he said he would do as much as he can to meet its objectives with the funding available.
“You have to do the best you can with the amount of money you get,” he said. “You have to be efficient and identify priorities.”