When the news came out this week that the City of Long Beach is about to release a $100,000 study done on the breakwater and the water quality off the shore of downtown Long Beach, I became discouraged because quite honestly the City does not have the money to do what is necessary to change the breakwater.
I expressed this discouragement in my blog and then was contacted by a constituent who said: "Please don't quit on us!"
Well. He's right.
If the breakwater needs to be removed to improve wave action and water quality in order to bring an economic stimulus back to Long Beach which is supposed to be a beach front community, then we need to fight for it!
The findings indicate that something could be done to improve both the wave action and the water quality. But the reality is that unless the U.S. Congress directs the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (who oversee all breakwaters) to get involved and unless the Congress funds further study and the work that needs to be done, the breakwater and the miserable water quality will remain.
So, let's get going and bombard our Congressional representatives to do the right thing for Long Beach.
See the contact information by emailing them (click on their names) and join me in sending Congresswoman Laura Richardson, Congresswoman Linda Sanchez, Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, Senator Barbara Boxer and Senator Dianne Feinstein e-mails with the following message:
Dear Long Beach Area Congressional Representative:
No doubt you have heard that Long Beach has a problem with the quality of the ocean water that comes to our beaches. A recent study indicates that the breakwater off-shore could be reconfigured to allow greater tidal action and disbursement of pollution.
This would clean up the water and increase use of the beaches which would bring an economic stimulus to Long Beach.
We urge you to direct the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to complete a full study on the feasibility of reconfiguring the Long Beach breakwater and to appropriate such funds as necessary to complete the study.
Cleaning up the ocean water and beachfront in Long Beach would provide an important boost to our local economy. We ask that you help Long Beach.
