Marina del Rey could require certification for hull cleaning

MARINA DEL REY — Los Angeles County could soon be cracking down on hull cleaning practices at Marina del Rey and installing boatlifts across the harbor in an attempt to limit the amount of copper sediment found in local waters. The county’s Small Craft Harbor Commission discussed parallel proposals to institute best management practices for hull cleaning services and install as many as 200 boatlifts in the harbor. Such policies are being sought to meet a county mandate to reduce copper loads in Marina del Rey’s waters by 85 percent by 2024. The mandate is part of a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) restriction adopted by county officials in 2014. Michael Tripp, the planning chief with Los Angeles County’s Department of Beaches and Harbors, stated respective proposals for a boatlift and hull cleaning certification program are two elements of a larger effort to reduce copper levels in Marina del Rey. Tripp added the current mandate doesn’t call for an outright ban of copper in Marina del Rey’s waters. Boaters, boatyards and marina operators are instead in a position to be creative in finding ways to limit the amount of copper they would allow into local waters. Department of Beaches and Harbors staff proposed requiring hull-cleaning...