For Immediate Release
Tuesday, October 26, 2021
Media Contacts
Lucila Garcia, López-Wagner Strategies, 323-646-2150 (English, Español)
Betsy López-Wagner, López-Wagner Strategies, 708-717-9408 (English, Español)
MEDIA ADVISORY
Stop Poseidon Coalition Groups Host Beach-side Grassroots Halloween Action to Raise Alarm on Proposed Huntington Beach Desalination Plant
Huntington Beach, CA – Orange County Coastkeeper of the Stop Poseidon Coalition will host a beach-side action on Halloween in coordination with Azul and the Orange County Desal Coalition to call attention to the public health, social justice and marine life consequences of the proposed Brookfield-Poseidon Huntington Beach Desalination Plant.
For more than two decades, Brookfield-Poseidon has inched closer to executing its plans to convert seawater, a publicly owned resource, into a privatized water supply and long-term income stream. It also includes reliance on more than $2 billion in public subsidies and low-cost loans that will shift significant long-term risks onto the public, especially low-income and communities of color in the region. Economics aside, the proposed plan would kill more than 100 million small ocean animals and be harmful for the environment, exasperating climate change.
In early 2022, the California Coastal Commission is expected to consider a key permit to advance the project. However, Poseidon is refusing to pay the permit fee required for review – unless and until the Commission provides them, in advance, with a recommendation of approval.
This Halloween morning event will utilize mixed media bilingual art and a speaker program to highlight what is at stake. A blessing of the lands and waters will open the event up.
When: Sunday, October 31, 2021, 10 a.m. PT. Community will gather between 9 to 9:30 a.m. to be in position for programming.
Meeting Location: Huntington State Beach lifeguard tower #12 near the intersection of Pacific Coast Highway and Newland St. Use the Magnolia or Beach Blvd. entrances. Note, public transportation is encouraged as $15 parking fees are also in effect on Sundays. For those who require parking fee support, reimbursements will be provided.
Event Registration: https://www.facebook.com/events/4468371273256947/
Host(s): Orange County Coastkeeper, Azul, Orange County Desal Coalition
Program Line Up and Speakers:
- 10:10 a.m. Land and Waters Acknowledgement, Blessing
- 10:20 a.m. Opening Statement and Bilingual Tombstone Art (Elizabeth Lambe)
- 10:25 a.m. Remarks by Stephanie Holton (Sunrise Movement)
- 10:30 a.m. Remarks by Andrea León-Grossmann (Azul)
- 10:35 a.m. Remarks by Tony Soriano (Surfrider Foundation Huntington/Seal Beach Chapter Advisor)
- 10:40 a.m. Closing Remarks by Ray Hiemstra (Orange County Coastkeeper)
Media availability for interviews with Stop Poseidon coalition members will be onsite and coordinated with Lucila Garcia, whose contact information is listed above. Advanced interviews available via Zoom.
Background: The Huntington Beach Desalination Plant by $625B for-profit Brookfield Asset Management and its subsidiary, Poseidon Water, continue to seek permits to withdraw 107 million gallons out of the ocean every day for the next 50 years, killing marine life upon intake.
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WHO WE ARE: The California-based ‘STOP POSEIDON’ coalition comprised of environmental justice, coastal and ocean conservation groups including Azul, California Coastkeeper, California Coastal Protection Network, Orange County Coastkeeper and the Surfrider Foundation. For more information, visit www.californiadesalfacts.org.
AZUL: Azul is a grassroots organization working with Latinxs to conserve coasts and oceans. It was founded in 2011 to bring Latinxs perspectives and participation to ocean conservation and has long advocated for environmental justice and equity in the state of California, across the nation and at international levels. Follow them on Twitter at @AzulDotOrg
ORANGE COUNTY COASTKEEPER: Founded in 1999, the mission of Coastkeeper is to protect and promote sustainable water resources that are swimmable, drinkable, and fishable for present and future generations. Orange County Coastkeeper is a member of the International Waterkeeper Alliance, which has 236 different independent programs across 29 countries. Follow them on Twitter at @OCCoastkeeper.