The staff of the Coastal Commission agreed with Surfrider and recommended on two occasions that the Coastal Commission agreed with Surfrider and recommended on two occasions that the Coastal Commission vote to find the project inconsistent with the Coastal Act. On the first occasion, the Commission agreed. After a two month delay and much political maneuvering, the Commission reversed their vote with no new information presented. We were sold out. After extensive efforts at negotiation, we were forced to bring litigation to stop the project.
Alternatives do exist.
Unfortunately, the judge sided with the USMC in a decision that seamed to ignore certain points of law. On the Executive Order, the judge issued a strange ruling in essence saying that if all we wanted was a certain piece of paper from the USMC saying there were no alternatives, he was sure the USMC would issue such a paper. The ruling ignored the higher standards of review that was required by the USMC for this law. Surfrider has filed an emergency appeal at the Appellate Level in San Francisco asking for an injunction stopping the project while the appeal is heard. Our hope is that the appeals court can see the folly being perpetuated by the USMC and protect this special and beautiful place.