I’m deeply disturbed by the proposed sand replenishment project for Broad Beach as planned by the Broad Beach Geologic Hazard Abatement District (BBGHAD). Forty-three thousand truckloads of sand brought to our coast from three inland sources over 20 miles away is an abomination and a crime against our environment.
Three years ago, as president of the Malibu West (MW) HOA, I voted for our community to join the BBGHAD, along with the unanimous support of the MW Board of Directors. At the time, we were told by the project engineering company that the sand replenishment would be accomplished by using trawlers and pumps to bring sand from a suitable offshore site. Taking sand from the bottom of the ocean and pumping and spreading it on the beach seemed like a logical, if expensive, proposition.
Fast-forward three years and the current plan involves using only far inland sand, hauled by thousands of trucks, spewing exhaust and crowding PCH for months.
There are many theories abound about how this plan changed—turf wars between various state and local jurisdictions, finding a sand source with a “suitable” grain size and, of course, the millions of dollars in contracts that are awarded.
Initially, I was encouraged by the replenishment plan as our beach has been seriously eroded. But I’m sickened by the environmental insult we will needlessly create, simply to bring sand to the beach when millions of tons of sand lie right offshore.
We need an open and transparent discussion of why this is the “best” choice.
Steve Rucker