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2016 Alert #1 |
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Action Alert
Save the Coastal Commission Background The California Coastal Commission administers the Coastal Act, enacted by voters in 1976. The Act’s main purposes are to ensure public access to the beach and to protect coastal resources. All Commissioners are political appointees. Historically, independent staff at the Commission have provided crucial accountability for decision-making in the face of pressure from financial interests. Now, a subset of Commissioners is trying to, in effect, engineer a coup by firing the current Executive Director, Dr. Charles Lester. By objective measures – completion of coastal land use plans, strategies for sea level rise, etc. – Lester has been an excellent and fair director. But some Commissioners, wishing to bend the Coastal Act toward over-development of the coast, initiated a secret process to replace him. The secret process was thwarted by the scheduling of a public hearing on February 10, 2016 on the matter. Action requested Please protect the integrity and independence of the Coastal Commission. Please send an email to the Commissioner, and his alternate, who represent your geographic area (per the sample message). Feel free to add personal information about why the coast is important to you. You can also send a message to all Commissioners at this link: <https://secured.surfrider. IMPORTANT NOTE: On the same message sent to your Commissioner, copy the Commission as a whole using this address: <StatusOfExecutiveDirector@ SAMPLE MESSAGE ****************************** The Hon. Greg Cox
1600 Pacific Highway, Room 335
San Diego CA 92101
Dear Commissioner Cox and Alternate Diaz: As a resident of the San Diego region, I ask you to protect the integrity and independence of Coastal Commission by retaining Dr. Charles Lester as Executive Director. Dr. Lester has been exemplary in his accomplishments and in his objective and fair application of the Coastal Act. The secret attempt to oust Dr. Lester absent public input was an affront to all Californians. Please uphold the Coastal Act and keep Dr. Lester on the job. Sincerely yours, cc: The Hon. Olga Diaz, San Diego Coast Alternate <info@olgadiaz.com> Commission Staff <StatusOfExecutiveDirector@ ****************************** Thank you for taking action and please pass along!
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