EDITORIAL

There is an awful lot of testing going on in Huntington Beach right

now. And, we can all hope, it will result in cleaner water and

neighborhoods for us all.

In Huntington Harbour and Anaheim Bay, a major study is being done by

local environmentalists that could give a key, in-depth look at the

levels of pollution in both bodies of water. If all works according to

plan, the testing, which will continue through the year, will give the

Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board data needed to decide how

high a priority cleanup and monitoring there should be. When that

happens, the volunteers from Orange County CoastKeeper who have been

working diligently will have earned a huge “thanks” from this community.

At the old Fieldstone property in the Bolsa Chica Wetlands, testing

has found an alarming amount of the chemical PCB. The California

Department of Toxic Substances Control is set to meet Friday with

Hearthside Homes, which now owns the land and likely will have to pay for

any cleanup, to determine a schedule for removing the waste. That work

will involve yet more tests to figure out exactly where the chemical, a

hazardous byproduct of the hydraulics fluid found in electric

transformers, is to be found.

In both cases, city officials are reacting enthusiastically to the

work. Pinpointing the problem areas are a necessary first step to solving

what are all-too lingering troubles. Both are promising developments in

the fight to make Huntington Beach cleaner and safer for us all.

A concern is that the work may not end up going anywhere. Of course,

it is important that the studies be thorough and precise. The results

need to be conclusive, and so speed is not necessarily crucial. At the

same time, everyone involved, from the volunteers to city leaders to

state officials, need to remain dedicated and ensure that the jobs don’t

peter off.

The eventual benefits are simply too important to do otherwise. Their

commitment, now that this invaluable work has begun, cannot waver.