Regional Water Quality Control Board DENIES TCA Permit to Construct Toll Road

On June 19th, the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board voted 3-2 to deny the first segment of the 241 Toll Road extension.

During the standing-room-only hearing, Surfrider Foundation Chapter representatives, staff, supporters and Coalition partners took to the stand one after another to voice their opposition to the first 5.5-mile “segment” of the toll road extension. The project, which was proposed in 2011 just three years after the California Coastal Commission and the Bush Administration shot down the original alignment through San Onofre State Park, calls for the extension of SR-241 to be built in “segments” – five miles at a time. “Segmenting” is illegal under state and federal law.

Read Surfrider's Press Release here.

A massive thanks to all our supporters who came out to the meeting. Your voice and presence made a huge difference in the outcome!  Also thanks to our San Diego and South OC Chapters for working so hard to organize the day!

As a member of the Save San Onofre Coalition, Surfrider Foundation has great respect and thanks for our partners at the Natural Resources Defense Council, California State Parks Foundation, Endangered Habitats League, Orange County Coastkeeper, Sierra Club, Audobon, WildCoast and the California Coastal Protection Network. Not to mention our fantastic team of attorneys at Shute Mihaly & Weinberger.  This victory could not have happened without all of their scientific, legal and political muscle.  This was truly a TEAM effort!

Watch this great recap of the day, thanks to San Diego activist Darren Kawasaki.


And see lots of photos of the meeting on Instagram