Rep. Waxman announces coastal protection rights are undermined by House of Representatives

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Councilmember John Sibert, Rep. Henry Waxman, Mayor Laura Rosenthal and Councilmember Lou La Monte at the press conference Thursday at Pepperdine. Melissa Caskey/TMT

Coastal and environmental protection rights are undermined more than ever by the House of Representatives, according to a staff report released by the House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Local environmental and coastal activists joined Rep. Henry Waxman to announce the findings at a press conference Thursday morning at Pepperdine University.

The House, under a Republican majority, has voted to undermine coastline and environmental protections 297 times since January 2011, according to the report. Ninety-four percent of House Republicans voted for an “anti-environment” position, while 84 percent of Democrats voted “pro-environment.”

Waxman attributed the defiance of environmental protections to House Republicans who are unwilling to cross partisan lines in order to come up with bipartisan legislation.

The decision to hold the press conference in Malibu was key to conveying the report’s findings, Waxman said.

“Malibu is a good example of some of the most beautiful coastline in California,” Waxman said. “You can look out at the ocean and see what’s at stake.”