SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - A San Diego organization is calling on city leaders to help restore the wetlands in Mission Bay and the group says they have a tentative plan but to get started they will need funding.
The Rewild Coalition says with climate change, poor air quality, and more, it is critical that San Diego comes up with a plan to restore the wetlands in Mission Bay. They are asking the City Council for $250,000 to help preserve the area.
“Federal and state funds would be used to prioritize water quality, improve access to nature, especially for the Kumeyaay communities, and create addition sea level rise resilience,” says Andrew Meyer, Director of Conservation with the San Diego Audubon Society.
Members of the Rewild Coalition gathered outside of City Hall Tuesday morning before making their way up to the scheduled City Council Meeting. There they planned to submit their request for funds again.
The group is asking the City of San Diego to set aside $250,000 from next year’s budget to restore the wetlands in Mission Bay. They also sent a memo request to all of the council members Friday.
The group says there has not been any action taken to help the wetlands over the last 30 years under the city’s master plan. They are hoping to help change that.
The city approved its Climate Action Plan back in August. It calls for 700 acres of tidal wetlands to be restored by 2035. The coalition says a down payment to the Rewild Mission Bay project could help the city reach that goal.
The group says there are also improved health benefits that come with restoring the area.
“Air quality is going to decrease the risk of our children having asthma exacerbations, all of us having seasonal allergies, heart attacks, stroke, dementia,” says Dr. Rachel Abbot with San Diego Pediatricians for Clean Air. “All of my pregnant ladies will have a decreased risk of having preemies and stillbirths. The health benefits are massive.”
The group says the State of California has over $1 billion in grant money ready for coastal resilience, habitat restoration, improved access, and more but, the group says the city needs to make a strong investment in the Rewild Mission Bay project to bring in those outside funds.
