A. San Luis Obispo COASTKEEPER - Our Water Quality Initiative
Clean, abundant water is essential to the environmental, human, and economic health of the Central Coast. To protect and insure fishable, swimmable, drinkable waters EPI's SLO Coastkeeper initiative priorities include:
STORMWATER – to prevent & reduce stormwater pollution: In addition to participating in the MS4 permitting process throughout the region, we successfully litigated the adequacy of San Luis Obispo County's Illicit Discharge Ordinance as well as litigation against UC Santa Cruz to enforce stormwater management plans on campus.
AGRICULTURAL RUNOFF– to reduce pollution & support sustainable agricultural water use: In partnership with our sister Coastkeeper organizations in Monterey and Santa Barbara, we have participated in the Region 3 Water Board's irrigated ag discharge permit process. Currently the 3 organizations have appealed the latest Regional Board permit waiver arguing for greater protection of ocean and upland water from ag runoff.
ENERGY – to reduce water use and promote low green house gas technologies: SLO Coastkeeper has provided consulting services to local groups on inland oil drilling projects and large-scale solar plant proposals. Currently we are reviewing a wave energy proposal off the San Luis Obispo coast and the environmental documents for solar projects adjacent to the Carrizo Plains National Monument.
WATER SUPPLY & STREAM FLOW – to ensure sustainable water supplies to support healthy waterways: SLO Coastkeeper was a party to California Coastkeeper Alliance litigation with the Department of Fish and Game over the Department's responsibilities to conduct Stream Flow Analysis. We are currently addressing issues of stream flow in the Cuyama, Salinas, and Santa Maria Rivers as well as multiple coastal streams.