Surfrider cleanup set for today

-- Alex Coolman

The Surfrider Foundation will host a beach cleanup today in Huntington

Beach and Newport Beach, an event that coincides with the beginning of

the group’s new plan to combat ocean pollution.

The cleanup comes to Newport Beach starting at 1 p.m. at the north side

of the Santa Ana River jetty. Surfrider plans to present an award to

Orange County Supervisor Tom Wilson at the event for his attention to the

importance of clean water.

Surfrider’s “50 in 5” program, an effort to reduce river mouth pollution

by 50% in 5 years, also begins today, said Nancy Gardner, president of

the Newport Beach chapter of the group.

The group is turning its attention to the problem of beach debris after a

long period of working on runoff.

“We have been focused on the Newport coast runoff issues, [but] in the

last year a number of groups have stepped forward [to work on the

problem]. We said, ‘hey, that’s great.’ So they’re kind of running with

the ball there,” Gardner said.