For Immediate Release
Friday, October 8, 2021
Media Contacts
Lucila Garcia, López-Wagner Strategies, 323-646-2150 Betsy López-Wagner, López-Wagner Strategies, 708-717-9408
CA Groups, referred to as ‘STOP POSEIDON’, Call Out Brookfield-Poseidon for its Performative Response to Huntington Beach Oil Spill
The coalition has been actively working to stop a proposed seawater desalination plant by the entity, citing environmental injustices and ecological harms
HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA – The California-based ‘STOP POSEIDON’ coalition comprised of environmental justice, coastal and ocean conservation groups, today issued a statement in response to Brookfield-Poseidon’s response to the oil spill that spilled tens of thousands of gallons of crude oil off the Orange County coast.
The coalition’s statement reads as: “Poseidon’s concerns are ironic – they kill living organisms and sea life daily and have no regard for the communities they claim to be in service to, all while asserting the ocean is an ‘endless reservoir’ – as in their own huge profit center, not a fragile ecosystem that we must protect. If Poseidon is true to its commitment of protecting Orange County’s coast, it will withdraw its profit-seeking desalination proposal that would kill 108 million small ocean animals each year – and send its investors packing.”
The coalition is made up of Azul, the California Coastkeeper Alliance, California Coastal Protection Network, Orange County Coastkeeper and the Surfrider Foundation.
Thursday, one of the groups – Azul – checked the conglomerate on Twitter for its lip service to the environment, offering corrections on behalf of the coalition to help Poseidon come clean on the damages its projects cause to the environment and its communities. Their post reads:
Case 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. This winter, the California Coastal Commission is set to consider a key permit on 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.
Last month, two of the coalition members – the California Coastkeeper Alliance and Orange County Coastkeeper – filed a lawsuit against the Santa Ana Regional Water Board for failing to adhere to the state’s Ocean Desalination Policy requirements when it authorized the construction of the Huntington Beach Desalination Plant by Brookfield Poseidon Resources LLC in April.
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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
CALIFORNIA COASTKEEPER ALLIANCE: California Coastkeeper Alliance represents watershed-focused California Waterkeepers as they fight for drinkable, swimmable, fishable waters for all Californians. It defends and expands California’s protective legislation and strengthens the function of our State Water Board. Follow them on Twitter at @CA_Waterkeepers.
CALIFORNIA COASTAL PROTECTION NETWORK: CCPN works to uphold the core tenets of the California Coastal Act actively and effectively through policy, advocacy and collaboration. We accomplish our mission by providing strong leadership to advance California’s 40-year legacy of coastal protection.
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.
SURFRIDER FOUNDATION: The Surfrider Foundation is dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world’s ocean, waves and beaches, for all people, through a powerful activist network. Follow them on Twitter at @Surfrider.