2024 was another great year for Surfrider in California! Chapters and staff worked together to achieve seventeen Coastal Victories that represent public policy decisions to help protect our coast. 17 local Surfrider chapters and 100+ student clubs hosted 637 beach cleanups that engaged 12,572 volunteers and collected 71,351 pounds of trash; and 23 volunteer-led Blue Water Task Force water testing labs processed over 2000 water-quality samples in California. Here’s a look at some more of our accomplishments in each of our five initiatives:
Beach Access
The LA Chapter One Watershed program is a beach access equity initiative that brings youth from underrepresented communities in LA County to their local beach for surfing lessons, fun in the sun, and conversations in community watershed conservation. In 2024 there were five One Watershed events: 150 new students were introduced to surfing and the joy of the beach. Implemented a new interactive game for marine ecosystem knowledge. 46 volunteers were involved, and we partnered up with the Salvation Army, Los Angeles Boy and Girls Club, Concrete Queenz, Los Courage Camps, and Black Surfers Collective.
Clean Water
The San Diego Chapter Clean Border Water Now program addresses the toxic industrial waste, untreated sewage, and trash that devastate 20 miles of international coastline, impacting communities and ecosystems in south San Diego County and Tijuana. By collaborating with affected community members, partners, and coalitions, we raise awareness through outreach and education while driving policy changes at all levels of government through advocacy. In 2024, these efforts made a significant impact; while the public health and environmental justice crisis in the Tijuana River Watershed continues to worsen, we are encouraged by the growing momentum of the social movement demanding change. Click here for more information.
The Ocean Friendly Gardens program continues to grow :) The Los Angeles Chapter had an exciting opportunity to collaborate on an Ocean Friendly Gardens project at Kuruvungna Village Springs, a historic Tongva village and gathering place with a preserved freshwater spring. The Tongva are indigenous to the area we now call the Los Angeles Basin and the southern Channel Islands off the coast of California.
Coasts and Climate
Passed! We supported ballot Measure Prop 4, a bond measure for healthy and climate-resilient California coasts into the future! Voter Proposition 4 on the ballot in California this year establishes a roadmap for a $10 billion climate bond to protect California’s coasts and prepare for sea level rise, preserve natural areas, ensure clean water, create parks and green space, prevent wildfires, and build out clean energy infrastructure. Prop 4 includes several funding programs including $1.2 billion to increase coastal and ocean resiliency and to protect coastal lands, waters, communities, natural resources, and urban waterfronts from sea level rise and other climate impacts.
We defended the California Coastal Act! Surfrider opposed four bills in the State Legislature that proposed to change the California Coastal Act this year. These bills were SB 951 (Weiner), SB 1077 (Blakesepear), SB 1092 (Blakespear) and AB 2560 (Alvarez). All four bills were amended to remove development exemptions from the Coastal Act, which marked a victory for Surfrider's 2024 Defend the Coastal Act Campaign.
The Coastal Act is the state’s bedrock coastal access and protection law. We support effective policies for affordable housing in the Coastal Zone but do not support undermining the Coastal Act. We maintain that affordable housing opportunities should not be seen as mutually exclusive from coastal resource and access protections - a diversity of Californians should be able to access and live along our coastline; and we should be able to maintain the shoreline's sensitive ecosystems and healthy beaches.
Surfrider therefore strongly supports reinforcement of the Coastal Act with policies that proactively address inequities — for instance policies that empower the Coastal Commission to require, or local governments to provide, a certain percentage of affordable housing in the Coastal Zone. You can read more specifically about our work on SB 951, SB 1077, SB 1092 and AB 2560 this year here.
A couple of other highlights include the start of construction for phase two of the Surfers’ Point managed retreat project in Ventura and a milestone for coastal resilience at San Onofre.
Ocean Protection
The National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) officially designated Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary as a federal marine protected area after years of advocacy from Surfrider and a coalition of groups! The sanctuary will protect over 4,500 square miles of marine habitats from threats like offshore oil drilling, seabed mining, and pollution. The sanctuary will celebrate Indigenous culture and history as a primary core value, along with the protection of ocean habitat. Chumash Heritage is the first Indigenous-nominated national marine sanctuary and will elevate awareness of central coast Tribes’ traditional knowledge and ways of stewarding cultural and marine resources. Click here to learn more.
Surfrider Central Coast chapters supported the Coastal Commission’s objection to the increase of SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches at Vandenberg Space Force Base from 36 to 50 per year. The plan also included up to 50 at-sea landings. This determination has significant implications for environmental protections along the California coast, particularly regarding coastal access, marine wildlife conservation, and the management of potential debris from rocket launches.
The Commission voted to reject the federal consistency determination, citing the need for environmental monitoring results from the current launch rate and suggesting that SpaceX themselves need to submit a Coastal Development Permit (CDP) for lawful operations. Find more information on ActCoastal.org
Plastic Pollution
SB 1053 improves California’s initial ban to ensure consumers use either reusable or paper bags. The legislation requires stores to provide paper bags with a minimum of 50% post consumer recycled material and continues to encourage consumers to use reusable bags.
Surfrider was pivotal in passing the nation’s first statewide bag ban ten years ago. Since then, we’ve seen an overall decline in plastic bags, but the thicker plastic bags are still causing problems. These disposable plastic bags are not recyclable, harm wildlife and our environment, clog sewage drains, contaminate our drinking water, and break down into toxic microplastics that accumulate in our oceans and landfills.
After years of advocacy and outreach, we also had a monumental victory in Santa Cruz County banning the sale of tobacco products with a single-use plastic filter or plastic tip. This ordinance, the first of its kind, will cover the unincorporated areas of Santa Cruz County starting in 2027, or when at least two cities pass similar ordinances -- whichever date is later. We are encouraging all cities in Santa Cruz County to pass similar ordinances to help provide a level playing field for retailers while also pressuring statewide legislators to take action on the issue.
Surfrider Student Clubs Rocked in 2024!
Surfrider California had 100+ active student clubs at the high school and college level during the 2023 - 2024 school year. This is the highest concentration of student clubs across Surfrider's network nationally! Each club focuses on the development and implementation of an environmental service project related to our mission. Click HERE to learn more about Surfrider's Student Club Network and fill out an interest form. Surfrider California is eager to continue to support the development of ocean conservation focused youth leaders. Two regional highlights from the 2023 - 2024 school year include…
- UCLA Ocean Friendly Dining Halls: The UCLA Surfrider Club successfully onboarded three campus dining facilities into our Ocean Friendly Restaurant Program. These facilities include Bruin Plate, Epicuria at Covel, and De Neve Commons. With a student body of over 32,000 undergraduate students, this is a huge step in reducing single-use plastics on a major college campus.
- Redondo Union High School x South Bay Blue Water Task Force: The Redondo Union High School Surfrider Club consistently participates in the student-centered “Teach & Test program ” led by the South Bay Surfrider Chapter. The program monitors ocean water bacteria levels at local beaches through their Blue Water Task Force lab, and serves as an excellent example of a successful club and chapter collaboration.
Additionally, check out the San Diego Chapter’s year in review:
Riding the Wave of Change: Surfrider San Diego's Impact in 2024