Study Aims To Battle Pollution On Beaches In Seal Beach: Report

SEAL BEACH, CA — Orange County officials allocated funds to support cleaning and raking services at the shore of Seal Beach as part of a study that aims to mitigate the impact of trash and pollutants on the ocean, according to reports.

According to a report from the Orange County Register, garbage from inland cities flows down the San Gabriel River following storms and often covers the sand when the rain passes.

In January, environmentalists and city, county and state officials from Los Angeles and Orange Counties gathered to discuss the issue, which also impacts beaches in Long Beach and offshore waters. After the discussion, the OC Board of Supervisors agreed to allocate $525,000 to help figure out ways to battle the pollution, according to the Register.

Seal Beach Councilmember Joe Kalmick told the Register that the trash problem in the San Gabriel River is a "regional crisis that needs to be tackled." Kalmick said a second meeting of the San Gabriel River Working Group is scheduled for this month.

Richard Busch, co-chairman for the Noth Orange County chapter of the Surfrider Foundation, told the Register that the recently allocated funds are encouraging.

“It is really encouraging to see movement toward reducing the amount of trash that flows out of the San Gabriel River,” Busch told the Register. "The rest of the beaches in Orange County will be better for it as well, as the tide and current bring garbage southward. We look forward to having clean beaches after a storm for a change.”

Read more from the Orange County Register: Study of best ways to keep San Gabriel River from dumping trash at Seal Beach gets funding boost