New Coastside Group Forms to Elect Environmentalists
by John Lynch, Co-Chair, League for Coastside Protection and former CGF Director

CGF members and other environmentalists from Half Moon Bay to Montara have formed a new organization to speak with a unified voice on coastal issues. Rather than continuing to fight battles one at a time, all the time, the new group is taking a long-term approach by supporting candidates for public office who will defend the San Mateo County coast.

The new League for Coastside Protection (LCP) is working to elect officials who will enforce Local Coastal Programs. Local Coastal Programs — under the jurisdiction of the California Coastal Commission — are the principal regulatory mechanism for controlling growth along the coast. It's no coincidence that the group's initials reiterate those of the important regulation.

Growth is certainly threatening. For some time, Half Moon Bay has been the fastest-growing city in the County, and the unincorporated midcoast is working hard to keep up. This November, at least 20 Coastside seats are up for election. Big-developer money stands at the ready to pack those seats with developers' friends — and the results could be long-term damage to coastal open space and quality of life.

Local Coastal Programs were developed after years of negotiation and planning, and can be good tools for open space protection — but only if local government officials demand enforcement. Endorsed by Committee for Green Foothills, the League will help elect people who respect these laws and will use them to protect our communities and natural resources.

For more information, or to get involved, visit the League's website at http://lcp.sanmateo.org.