The Decimation of California's Once-Proud
Coastal Commission

For Those Who Still Care Deeply About California's Coast: California Coastal Commissioners, who decline to vote according to the wishes of their appointing authority, can be and have been swiftly removed by those appointing authorities.

That's because they serve at the "pleasure" of those who appointed them. These include the governor, the speaker of the Assembly and the Senate rules committee. It may now be the time to consider amending the Coastal Act to provide for term appointments.

The January 10, 2001 meeting of the Coastal Commission included deliberations on whether it shall relinquish some of its comprehensive planning powers to the Secretary of Resources and her agencies, such as the Dept. of Fish & Game, or uphold the specific provisions of the CA Coastal Act.

On behalf of The Fund for the Environment, testimony was previously presented Nov. 15, 2000, urging the Commission not to succumb to the intense political pressure being applied by the Secretary of Resources, Mary Nichols, on behalf of Governor Davis. Subsequently a Memorandum of Understanding was negotiated between Ms. Nichols and the commission staff.

Here is Fund for the Environment's testimony on this occasion:

Mme. Chairwoman & Members of the Commission:

You are here to serve all of the people of California, not just the campaign contributors to your appointing authorities and heads of state agencies. If any of you dare to vote your conscience and it results in your removal, I hope that all the rest of you who were appointed by that same authority, will immediately tender your resignation.

I oppose the MOU and any abdication of the authority given you by those who voted to approve Proposition 20.

You are not here to systematically approve permits to destroy what remains of the coast, simply to appease the governor, his Secretary of Resources or members of the Legislature.

If you have convictions and intend to uphold the comprehensive authority of the Coastal Act, I beg you to act on those convictions.

Thank you.