SACRAMENTO – Today, Assemblymember Diane Dixon (R-Newport Beach) introduced Assembly Concurrent Resolution 182 which commits to reducing pollution in our oceans.
Assemblymember Dixon’s district includes a significant portion of the Orange County coastline, including Seal Beach, Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach and Newport Beach.
ACR 182 resolves to “promote and encourage solutions and resources for keeping the oceans and coastlines healthy and eliminating the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.” The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a collection of debris, trash and waste that has collected in the North Pacific Ocean, forming two giant circulating groups. It is also known as the Pacific trash vortex with a mass of approximately 100,000 tons covering 617,000 square miles, which is twice the size of Texas.
“Ensuring our oceans are clean is incredibly important and goes hand-in-hand with why we celebrate Earth Day,” said Assemblymember Dixon. “It is our job to protect our coastline, and this Resolution provides us an opportunity to make that commitment. We must reduce the amount of trash flowing into our oceans.”
Assemblymember Dixon is an avid supporter of reducing pollution. During her time as a Newport Beach City Council Member she was actively involved in bringing a trash collector wheel to Newport Bay. During last year’s budget cycle, she helped that become a reality in her capacity as an Assemblymember by securing $1.6 million to complete the project. In other parts of her district, she is spearheading a San Gabriel River Working Group to find solutions and funding to eliminate trash flow from the river to open waters and onto the beaches in Seal Beach.
The Member also commemorated Earth Day by recognizing grade school students in Assembly District 72 who agreed to protect California’s coastline, keep our beaches clean and lead by example.
“There is much to do when it comes to protecting our beautiful coastline, and I am committed to working with all stakeholders to help prevent pollution,” said Assemblymember Dixon. “People come from all over the world to visit the shores of the Pacific Ocean in Orange County. Investing in protecting and supporting our beaches and marine life is an investment in our communities.”
To read the bill language, click here.