Finally Some Good News for the Oakland Estuary
While we’re in the midst of winter storms, Brock de Lappe has referred us to a recent story in the Oaklandside with good news for the Oakland-Alameda Estuary. A portion of the $3.2 million awarded by NOAA for an Estuary cleanup has now been allocated and approved for the cleanup to commence.
As they were in 2024, Lind Marine has been contracted to raise sunken vessels along the shoreline over a couple of years, and bring them to their Mare Island facility for disposal. In addition, Mary Spicer of I Heart Oakland-Alameda Estuary has received a grant for the balance of the funds, along with the East Bay Regional Park District, to expand their shoreline cleanup efforts.
This has been a long time coming and is seen as a welcome step by Brock de Lappe, Mary Spicer and the many Estuary advocates who have been lobbying on behalf of the Estuary, area residents, and boat owners. Brock also credits Isabel Chamberlain, compliance manager for the BCDC, who has been pressuring the City of Oakland with legal action. The BCDC can fine cities like Oakland for neglecting their waterfront and allowing environmental damage.
In addition, Oakland’s Nuisance Vessel Ordinance has given the City the ability to impound and remove vessels illegally anchored off their shoreline. The cleanup will make great strides in improving the Estuary, but the problem will remain if the City and Port of Oakland cannot fund ongoing enforcement of the no-anchorage areas.
According to Brock, the Port of Oakland controls all this waterfront property, yet they fund only one single officer out of their almost $500 million annual budget to patrol the anchorage. Without increased funding for enforcement, the cleanup has a high probability of achieving temporary results.
Unlike with the cleanup of Richardson Bay, there doesn’t appear to be any aid available to help those who are struggling to find shelter by living aboard, leaving that as an unsolved problem.
This week’s winter storms are likely to add more wrecks to the shoreline, but we hope this news is the start of returning the Estuary to a clean, safe recreational resource for all East Bay residents.