Water-quality regulators take aim at Caltrans
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Paul Clinton
UPPER NEWPORT BAY -- Water-quality regulators are investigating
Caltrans to determine if the agency should be doing a better job of
cleaning up urban runoff from the Eastern Toll Road into Upper Newport
Bay.
The state water board launched the investigation after a South County
environmentalist filed a complaint.
“The question is really whether Caltrans is responsible for
controlling the quality of the runoff to minimize the amount of
pollution” flowing into the bay, said Kurt Berchtold, assistant executive
officer with the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board. “They’re
required to reduce pollutants.”
The investigation is part of the board’s broader effort to reduce
urban runoff -- motor oils, gasoline, copper residue from brake pads and
other materials sloughed off by vehicles -- from roadways.
The San Diego regional board slapped a cease-and-desist order on the
transportation agency July 18 saying it “failed to . . . properly
maintain and operate” 20 water filters installed along the San Joaquin
Toll Road to reduce pollutants in the runoff.
The Santa Ana board has also ordered Caltrans to stop runoff pollution
from East Coast Highway into Crystal Cove.
Caltrans spokeswoman Beth Beeman was not aware of the investigation
into the Eastern Toll Road.
“We don’t know of any official investigation,” Beeman said. “We
haven’t seen the complaint.”
Activist Michael Hazzard prompted the investigation in a complaint
filed earlier this week. Beeman declined to comment on the accusation.
Orange County’s three existing toll roads -- the Eastern, San Joaquin
and Foothill -- were all designed and built by the Transportation
Corridor Agency and then handed over to Caltrans to maintain.
Transportation Corridor Agency spokeswoman Lisa Telles said the
joint-powers agency defended the design of the roads. When the Eastern
Toll Road was built, the agency installed grassy swales and retention
basins to filter out pollution.
The agency must obtain annual permits from the water board, Telles
said.
“There is a storm-water plan and a water-management plan for the
Eastern Toll Road,” Telles said. “We’re doing everything we’re required
to do.”
Bob Caustin, founder of Defend the Bay, gave the agencies a far lower
grade for their handling of runoff into the bay.
“What they’re doing is making [Upper] Newport Bay their cesspool by
not putting forth the effort to clean up their property,” Caustin said.
“TCA designed the roadway. They get an F. Caltrans operates the roads.
They get an F.”
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