OC Vice Chair Katrina Foley Announces Release of Sand Renourishment RFI & Emergency Coastal Development Permit Application by OCTA to Save LOSSAN Rail Corridor and South County Beaches
ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA – Today, Orange County Board of Supervisors Vice Chair Katrina Foley releases a statement following the Orange County Transportation Authority’s urgent action to apply for an Emergency Coastal Development Permit and release a Request for Information to all sand renourishment contractors across the State of California. This step aligns with OCTA’s plan to stabilize the four “hot spot areas” identified in December 2023 as most vulnerable to catastrophic failure from beach erosion, wave impacts, and slope failure.
“For decades South County beaches eroded without adequate renourishment. This inaction caused widespread erosion, threatening our ocean economy, coastal rail corridor, and endangering our national defense and commerce. Last year we secured more than $300 million to protect the four hot spot areas most vulnerable to catastrophic failure along the corridor. Today, OCTA is releasing our Request for Information (RFI) to all sand renourishment contractors to begin the process of placing up to 540,000 cubic yards along San Clemente’s beaches,” said Vice Chair Katrina Foley.
“The release of the RFI coupled with our Emergency Coastal Development Permit application to the California Coastal Commission shows the urgency we’ve placed on OCTA to restore the safety and stability of our beaches and Coastal Rail Corridor,” said Vice Chair Foley. “I appreciate the California Coastal Commission’s consideration and willingness to work through an emergency permitting process which includes the nature-based solution of sand renourishment instead of simply placing revetment along our shores. Tomorrow, I will be in Sacramento advocating to cut through the red tape and bring the more than 500,000 cubic yards of sand onto San Clemente’s beaches within the next 18 months.”
