Commentary: Gov. Newsom backs off from shameful gambit, and it's a victory for California coast

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Set us as preferred Several times over the past many years, I’ve ended a column about California’s greatest natural asset with the same words:The coast is never saved, it’s always being saved.Today I’m beginning with that thought.The words are not mine.The late Peter Douglas, former executive director of the California Coastal Commission, uttered them many years ago.

He was pointing out that it would take constant vigilance to fend off repeated attempts to chip away at the protections he helped enshrine in the Coastal Act.Over the last few days, the person doing the chipping was Gov.Gavin Newsom, who pushed a bill that would have shredded a page of the Coastal Act in a way that would have benefited a longtime campaign donor.Odious, yes, but if you’re thinking of running for president one day, why not go for broke?Coastal protection advocates held their breath late into the night Friday as the clock ticked at the end of the legislative session.

But before I let you know how it played out, I’m going to back up a bit.The Trump administration, thirsty for offshore oil, has ordered a review of California’s coastal management.I’d just returned last week from a trip back east, where I’d taken photos of signs blocking my access to some beaches in Connecticut and New York.A typical under-handed tactic they use is to prohibit parking in beach lots unless you show proof of residence.

If you’re not a resident, goodbye.The parking lot could be nearly empty and they’ll send you away, and then you’ll discover there is nowhere else to park within easy or safe walking distance.

It’s a surefire way to essentially privatize beaches.So I came home eager to remind everyone that we have something special in California, and that we should all be lighting candles on the cake celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Coastal...