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cdchase@qualcomm.com
Coast Attack - Round #2

Stop the Plot to Gut the Coastal Act
prepared by Center for Marine Conservation, NRDC, and Sierra Club;
Local additions by C-QUAL - Californians for Quality of Life

************** LA meeting****************************
Attend the Coastal Commission Meeting on Tuesday, August 13, 1:00  pm
& Thursday, August 15, 9:00 am

Crowne Plaza Holiday Inn @ LAX, 5985 W. Century Blvd.
*****************************************************

<-----BACKGROUND and info for writing and faxing----->

The New Plot to Gut the Coastal Act

Governor Wilson and Assembly Speaker Pringle have stacked the Commission
with critics of California's landmark Coastal Act.  Last month, this
majority tried to ax the Commission's respected chief and replace him with
a Pete Wilson political operative.  But their clumsy plot was exposed and
blocked by a tidal wave of public and local government outrage and
editorials in every major paper.

Since their "blast down the front door" attack failed, they're trying to
sneak through the back door.  They've cooked up a new plot to gut the
Coastal Act by chopping up the rules used by staff to evaluate development
and protect the coast.  This involves two "audit" committees,
dominated by Commission critics, to review:  (1) management procedures and
(2) finances.

The management audit committee is potentially the most dangerous.  They can
reverse the Commission's historic role of protecting public access, views
and
sensitive coastal resources.   They are set to ram through changes in one
Commission session to make coastal rules more "developer friendly."  To
avoid public comment, this Committee plans to develop recommendations at
their first meeting on Tuesday afternoon, August 13, at 1:00 p.m. and have
the Commission adopt the recommendations a scant 45 hours later on
Thursday, Aug. 15  at 9:00 a.m!


What You Can Do

1)      Show Up!  Let this Committee and the Commission know that we're
watching them.

2)      Ask Questions  Give Testimony   The legality and basic assumptions
of this outrageous power play must be challenged.  At the Tuesday and
Thursday meetings, we must tell them:

*       We're willing to work with them to improve the efficiency of the
program.  But we'll fight any back-door effort to undermine the Coastal
Act.  If they don't like the Coastal Act, they should go seek changes from
the legislature.

*       They must first clarify what they want to achieve and give criteria
on how they'll evaluate "staff performance", "fairness," "public
satisfaction" and "high priority issues."

*       The Coastal Act serves the public and not just the interests of
coastal developers.  Maximum public participation should be assured.  All
aspects of this committee's deliberations must be open to the public.
Trying to jam this through in one meeting is illegal and unethical.

3)      Attend the Commission Meetings Tuesday-Friday   The new majority of
commissioners will also try to reverse long-standing Commission policies as
they review new permits.  A public interest audience is needed to stand up
for coastal access and coastal protection for all, and not just for
developer rights at the Tuesday - Friday meetings.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If you can only come for a brief time, come Tuesday afternoon at 1:00 p.m.
sharp!  The next most critical time is Thursday at 9:00 a.m.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

+++++++++++Committee membership++++++++++++++++++++

Management - Byron Wear (chair), Timothy Staffel, Fran Pavley
Finance - Ray Belgard (chair), William Rick, Sara Wan

+++++++++++Schedule++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Management Committee  - Tuesday, Aug. 13, at 1:00
Fiscal Committee - Wednesday (at the end of the Commission's Wednesday Agenda)

The Management Committee will report to the full Commission on Thursday
morning August 15, at 9:00 a.m. at the start of the Commission Agenda.  The
Commission plans to act at that Thursday meeting.

++++++++++The Management Committee's Goals++++++++++++++++

In July Commission Chairman Calcagno said the goals of this Committee were
to:
(1)  Ensure that staff resources are focused on the highest priority
coastal protection issues,

(2) Determine the level of public satisfaction with current permitting
procedures, including a customer post-permit survey,

(3) Ensure that staff procedures are fair to permit applicants and
local governments,

(4) Evaluate the performance and operation of the Commission's field offices.

 The Commission's Agenda says they will
consider:
*       Recommending a code of conduct for staff based on recent court
cases (Nollan, Dolan, Lucas),
*       Establish criteria for a management audit and consider an outside
company to perform the audit,
*       Develop a survey of applicants and various court cases affecting
the Commission and staff,
*       Review of a 1989 Performance Audit conducted by the California Senate.

+++++++++>SEND Your Comments<+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

You can send your comments in advance to the Committee Chairmen.
Address
them to the Chairmen c/o the Coastal Commission, 45 Fremont, Suite 2000,
San Francisco 94105 OR
FAX your letter to them at the Commission's FAX #
(415) 904-5400.  There is no email 8-(.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

San Diego activists note:
  Byron Wear's City Council office: phone -  236-6622      FAX:  236-6996
        202 C Street San Diego 92101;

Sending letters direct to his office in advance will help get his
attention. He has no email.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Your comments can include the points on page one of this letter and
incorporate the issues on the attached matrix.  At a minimum they should
include the following:

*       The Coastal Act is the law and it is supported by the public.  The
commission should not try a back-door effort to undermine the law.  If they
don't like the law they should make proposals to the legislature.

*       The public has already demonstrated overwhelming support for the
Commission and its work.  Any effort to evaluate performance must include
the opinions of public and not just past applicants and developers.

*       All aspects of this Committee process should be conducted in the
public, including the deliberations of the Committee.

*       There is no need to change Commission policies to respond to
various Supreme Court decisions on property rights.  The Commission staff
has already adjusted it's policies and provided guidance to the Commission
on these Court decisions.

*       The Committee should clarify what they want to achieve and give
criteria on how they plan to evaluate issues like staff performance,
fairness, public satisfaction and high priority issues.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

For More Information!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ann Notthoff - NRDC - 415 777-0220 or David Beckman (NRDC)  213 934-6900
Warner Chabot - CMC - 415 391-6204
Mel Nutter -League for Coastal Protection  310 432-8715
Mark Massara - Sierra Club - 415 665-7008
Jason McDaniel - Sierra Club   213 387-6528







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Date: Mon, 5 Aug 1996 11:30:21 -0700
To: earthday@qualcomm.com
From: cdchase@qualcomm.com (Carolyn Chase)
Subject: Coastal Commission Attack - Round 2