On May 7th, Ashley, Leslie, and Grace went to California's capital to advocate for policies that protect our ocean and coast!
We advocated primarily on phasing out single-use plastic materials, the importance of marine protected areas, making state beaches equitable and accessible for all, engaging tribes and communities in offshore wind, and against AB 2560 a bill that attacks the Coastal Act. We were joined by CALPIRG students who led the plastics advocacy, pushing for a plastic bag ban.
This year's 19th annual California Ocean Day allowed us to meet with our state legislators and their staff, including meetings with the offices of Senator Dodd, Pro Tempore McGuire, Assemblymember Connolly, and Assemblymember Lowenthal. We also attended a great panel by County Park Friends and others on equitable coastal access for all.
Ocean Day first began in 2005 with a group of beach-goers, environmentalists, and ocean advocates knocking on every door in the California Capitol to discuss protecting the ocean. Over the years, more and more individuals have joined in, sharing information on opportunities and challenges concerning our beloved marine environments.
We are so grateful for the opportunity to join our colleagues in advocating for the ocean, and connecting with old and new friends from across the state!
Learn More:
https://californiaoceanday.org/
EAC continues to advocate for key ocean priorities including our opposition to AB 2560. If you want to engage at the next level, call your representative and let them know you are opposed to AB 2560. AB 2560 is disguised as a housing bill, but it attacks our coastal resource and safety protections. We support affordable housing, but this is not the solution. Neither the Coastal Act nor the Coastal Commission are obstacles to meeting our coastal housing needs.
