EDITORIAL

Fifty years ago, it was perfectly acceptable to spray mass amounts of

the pesticide DDT over large agricultural areas, despite the fact that

hundreds of homes -- with small children playing in backyards -- were

also getting the toxic showers.

But then scientists -- most notably Rachel Carson in her 1963 book

“Silent Spring” -- discovered that chemicals in DDT are highly toxic to

humans. They are linked to infertility, cancer and cause death to fish

and wildlife.

So the once-common practice of dousing large areas with the powdery

white substance was eliminated and the pesticide itself was banned.

It was a time when awareness about how our daily lives affect the

environment was slim to none.

And yet, a similar issue has cropped up in Newport Harbor recently.

Residents in Newport Harbor have for the past 20 years been able to

dredge around their boat slips whenever they got clogged up with the sand

and silt flowing into the bay. Under a “blanket permit” with the

California Coastal Commission, the dredging has always taken place

without residents having to complete cumbersome paperwork or endure

bureaucratic hearings.

While it wasn’t good for the environment 20 years ago -- just like the

DDT example -- the potential hazard apparently went unnoticed.

But things are a little different now. The “greener” California

Coastal Commission under Democratic Gov. Gray Davis has taken strong

notice of Newport Beach’s very unique situation.

Its staff has proposed making dramatic changes to the city’s

permitting process that would ensure the muck being dredged up doesn’t

pose a health hazard to those who use the bay’s beaches.

While important, some officials say these changes -- which would

require a series of tests and an application process for each residential

dredging project -- could eventually shut down the harbor if its

million-dollar yachts are left high and dry.

Their concerns are understandable. The harbor is not only home to many

residents, it is a major source of revenue for the city.

But that is still not a good enough reason to ignore the potentially

serious health and environmental problems.

There is probably some room to compromise to make the transition into

the dramatically new system easier on anxious residents, who say their

floating investments are spiraling down the drain.

City officials are encouraged to continue working with the commission

to achieve that, but they should give up on trying to reinstate the

blanket permit they enjoyed for two decades.

Times have changed, and that’s something the city and its residents

will just have to accept.

In the end, a healthier bay will only benefit them.