State Funds Clean-up for National Treasure: Santa Cruz Island Gets Help to Rid Its Waste, October 16, 2007, Press Release

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State Funds Clean-up for National Treasure: Santa Cruz Island Gets Help to Rid Its Waste

SACRAMENTO--Today, the California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB) approved $200,000 for the removal and transportation of un-recyclable solid waste from Santa Cruz Island, the largest of California's eight Channel Islands off the coast of Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties.

"The Board is pleased to respond to situations of illegal dumping that may be go beyond a community's resources to adequately address," said Board Chair Margo Reid Brown. "These grants assist areas that are most affected by illegal dumping. It is the first step in returning these communities to pristine beauty and the environment's health."

Santa Cruz Island (SCI) is approximately 62,000 acres and is jointly owned by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the National Park Service (NPS). Since acquiring the island in 1978, TNC has battled with tons of solid waste that has been left behind from work and construction crews over the years. Looking back at the 125-year history of the island, there have been sheep, cattle and pig ranching, agricultural development and was inhabited by over 100 people year round. Recognizing the historical importance of the island, TNC now focuses on restoring and protecting the unique and endemic flora and fauna that exists.

The CIWMB will contract services to remove and transport the unwanted solid waste to an approved disposal facility as part of its Solid Waste and Codisposal Site Cleanup Program that addresses issues where responsible parties either cannot be identified or are unable or unwilling to pay for a timely remediation and where cleanup is needed to protect public health and safety or the environment.

In many cases the CIWMB may exercise statutory authority to place liens on parcels owned by private parties in the amount of the Board's costs for remediation, however, the circumstances surrounding Santa Cruz Island and the abilities and limited resources of TNC have prompted Board Members to forego cost recovery in this case which is permissible by statute.

The Nature Conservancy is a non-profit, tax-exempt corporation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and is a publicly supported organization as defined in Sections 170(b)(1)(A)(vi) and 509(a). TNC's mission is to preserve the plants, animals and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive.

TNC maintains a scenic coastal interpretive trail immediately adjacent to NPS lands that is frequently accessed and enjoyed by the public and school groups. Additionally, TNC provides permitted access to boaters to all parts of SCI except for the Central Valley where staff and researchers work and live. The global significance of SCI is underscored by its:

Designation as a State of California Area of Special Biological Significance;

Designation as part of the United Nations' Man and the Biosphere Program as the Channel Islands Biosphere Reserve;

Inclusion in the University of California's Natural Reserve System (The University of California at Santa Barbara maintains a large field research station and facility on TNC's portion of SCI.);

Acquisition and continued management by TNC;

Inclusion in the Channel Islands National Park; and

Inclusion in the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary.

The California Integrated Waste Management Board is the state's leading authority on recycling and waste reduction. It promotes reducing waste whenever possible, managing all materials to their highest and best use and protecting public health and safety and the environment.