About Us
About Coastkeeper
Orange County Coastkeeper’s long-term goal is to protect and preserve all of Orange County ‘s water bodies and restore them to healthy, fully functioning systems that will protect recreational uses and aquatic life. In pursuit of this goal, Coastkeeper balances education, advocacy, restoration, research, and enforcement to increase awareness of environmental issues and reduce pollution of Orange County ‘s watersheds and coastal waters:
Education: Coastkeeper cannot accomplish our mission without an educated, concerned and active public. We engage thousands of K-12 students in hands-on watershed education and service through the WHALES Program and Kids Ocean Day. Our website and Coastkeeper Magzine raise general public awareness of local coastal issues.
Advocacy: Through a collaborative, watershed-based approach, we work with government agencies and the private sector to develop water quality solutions that meet the needs of both the environment and the community. Our main focuses are eliminating polluted urban runoff, ensuring healthy watersheds and marine habitats, and maintaining a stable water supply.
Restoration: To preserve critical habitat and species, Coastkeeper has worked to restore kelp and eelgrass beds off the coast and in Newport Bay. We are currently facilitating an eelgrass restoration project and pursuing abalone and oyster restoration.
Research: Coastkeeper has trained employees and volunteers to conduct scientific research projects involving both sediment and water quality analysis in local waterways and harbors. Our scientific reports and regulations address water-related challenges.
Enforcement: The goal of this program is to enforce compliance to State clean water laws and to the Federal Clean Water Act. Coastkeeper identifies polluters, collects evidence and litigates in Federal Court to ensure compliance. We collaborate with industries to develop more effective practices to reduce sources of pollution.
At Coastkeeper, we try to collaborate with a variety of stakeholders in seeking solutions that are good for Orange County and protect coastal resources. We work to indentify and stop polluters, using litigation if necessary; however, we believe that solutions that are good for the environment are also good for business. We strive to build a community approach to watershed management, with the intent of avoiding future conflicts, and agreeing on solutions that meet broad societal goals. Ultimately, we hope to increase the likelihood of sustaining long-term environmental improvements. To discover more about Orange County Coastkeeper, navigate the following links below:
