San Diego Judge Rules Against Floating Debris Plan

Date: January 1, 2004

Source: News Room

A San Diego Judge has ruled that the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board abused its discretion in issuing the Zero Trash Total Maximum Daily Load order. The order mandates that cities reduce floating debris found in local flood control channels by 10 percent each year over the next decade. The judge ruled that the board abused its discretion by failing to conduct a cost/benefit analysis or consider economic impacts, as required by the Clean Water Act and State Water Codes. The County and City of Los Angeles settled out of court in September with the Regional Board, the state agency that sets water quality standards. According to county estimates, the order could have cost taxpayers $642 million to reach the 90 percent trash reduction level.

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