Pollution Ignored

* Poor cousin to the south, Aliso Creek Beach, South Laguna, is the beach Garry Brown referred to in his Aug. 29 Orange County Voices article on ocean pollution. Unfortunately, politicians and reporters don’t flock to our aid.

The second-most polluted beach on the California coastline, we have fecal coli counts 100 times those found at Huntington Beach this summer, yet there is no outcry. When it starts raining in November, our counts go into the thousands. Two factors account for the lack of publicity: 1) In winter, fewer people use the beach, and 2) fewer people use this limited-access spot.

To make matters worse, you have health officials who claimed that implementation of testing would only “confuse” beach users. Whatever happening to, “better safe than sorry?”

There are two tribes in Southern California: those who revere the ocean, and those who do not. Small groups like mine, and larger ones like O.C. Coastkeeper, are like centurions for beach-goers.

ROGER E. BUTOW

Founder

Clean Aliso Creek Assn..

Laguna Beach