Terry Tamminen

Thirteen years ago, Terry Tamminen was a Malibu pool cleaner and part-time actor with a gift for charming influential people and a resume that chronicled more rambling than a Jack Kerouac novel. Tamminen had sold condos in Florida, managed a sheep ranch in the Midwest, helped start a bottle recycling program in Nigeria, dabbled in Shakespearean acting and measured chlorine levels for such celebrities as Madonna and Johnny Carson.

One of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's closest advisors and strongest voices for cleaner energy has left the administration, a departure that environmental activists describe as a worrisome loss. Terry Tamminen, a favorite of the governor who held some of the most powerful positions on his staff, is now working for Schwarzenegger's campaign as a volunteer and is not planning to return after the election, the governor's aides said.

California's new secretary of environmental protection is planning to make an unofficial visit Saturday to the Old Glory oak tree, which is scheduled to be moved by the end of the month. Terry Tamminen will make the trip to get a good look at the Santa Clarita Valley tree that gained notoriety when an activist sat inside it for 71 days in an attempt to prevent a developer from cutting it down.

Thirteen years ago, Terry Tamminen was a Malibu pool cleaner and part-time actor with a gift for charming influential people and a resume that chronicled more rambling than a Jack Kerouac novel. Tamminen had sold condos in Florida, managed a sheep ranch in the Midwest, helped start a bottle recycling program in Nigeria, dabbled in Shakespearean acting and measured chlorine levels for such celebrities as Madonna and Johnny Carson.

In the air, on land, and--most importantly--at sea, Terry Tamminen is now patrolling the Santa Monica Bay. Tamminen is the official "aqua cop" for a new environmental watch-dog group, the Santa Monica BayKeeper, which was launched in recent ceremonies at its Marina del Rey houseboat. His job is to monitor the health of the bay and its watersheds. "If Santa Monica Bay were a park, it would have a park ranger," says Tamminen. "That's how I think of myself."

We were surprised to read state Sen. Tom Hayden's assertion in "Sacrificing the Bay for Little Gain" (Commentary, Dec. 13) that there is dissension among environmental groups over the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Project's action plan. While different environmental groups may have different strategies, we stand united in the pursuit of our ultimate goal: a cleaner and healthier Santa Monica Bay. Certainly the plan alone will not clean up our ocean. Under the National Estuary Program, the process required consensus among dischargers, regulators, agencies and environmentalists in the development of a plan to restore our bay. Yes, we want to strengthen the plan and to make sure that all its voluntary measures are implemented.

Gov.-elect Arnold Schwarzenegger has decided to name Terry Tamminen, the head of a Santa Monica conservation group, as his secretary of environmental protection, according to several sources involved in assembling the new administration. Tamminen led a team of advisors who helped Schwarzenegger craft a platform during the race that surprised many environmental activists because of its ambition and sympathy with their positions.

One of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's closest advisors and strongest voices for cleaner energy has left the administration, a departure that environmental activists describe as a worrisome loss. Terry Tamminen, a favorite of the governor who held some of the most powerful positions on his staff, is now working for Schwarzenegger's campaign as a volunteer and is not planning to return after the election, the governor's aides said.

Terry Tamminen of Santa Monica Baykeeper, an environmental watchdog group, is trying to get an abandoned Hermosa Beach oil well capped because of concern that rain could carry leaking oil into Santa Monica Bay. The well is leaking as much as 100 gallons of crude oil a week, Tamminen said. Pamela Morris, spokeswoman for the state Department of Conservation, said the state is trying to work out a solution with the owner, Stinnett Oil Co., a small firm in Temecula.

While the danger cigarettes pose to humans is well known, a Marina del Rey conservation organization will highlight the hazard of cigarette butts on the environment and ocean wildlife by launching "Operation Kick Butt," activists announced Tuesday. The plan by Santa Monica BayKeeper calls for volunteers to focus on picking up cigarette butts as part of the Earth Day cleanup April 20.

California's new secretary of environmental protection is planning to make an unofficial visit Saturday to the Old Glory oak tree, which is scheduled to be moved by the end of the month. Terry Tamminen will make the trip to get a good look at the Santa Clarita Valley tree that gained notoriety when an activist sat inside it for 71 days in an attempt to prevent a developer from cutting it down.

Gov.-elect Arnold Schwarzenegger has decided to name Terry Tamminen, the head of a Santa Monica conservation group, as his secretary of environmental protection, according to several sources involved in assembling the new administration. Tamminen led a team of advisors who helped Schwarzenegger craft a platform during the race that surprised many environmental activists because of its ambition and sympathy with their positions.

We were surprised to read state Sen. Tom Hayden's assertion in "Sacrificing the Bay for Little Gain" (Commentary, Dec. 13) that there is dissension among environmental groups over the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Project's action plan. While different environmental groups may have different strategies, we stand united in the pursuit of our ultimate goal: a cleaner and healthier Santa Monica Bay. Certainly the plan alone will not clean up our ocean. Under the National Estuary Program, the process required consensus among dischargers, regulators, agencies and environmentalists in the development of a plan to restore our bay. Yes, we want to strengthen the plan and to make sure that all its voluntary measures are implemented.

In the air, on land, and--most importantly--at sea, Terry Tamminen is now patrolling the Santa Monica Bay. Tamminen is the official "aqua cop" for a new environmental watch-dog group, the Santa Monica BayKeeper, which was launched in recent ceremonies at its Marina del Rey houseboat. His job is to monitor the health of the bay and its watersheds. "If Santa Monica Bay were a park, it would have a park ranger," says Tamminen. "That's how I think of myself."

Several thousand people are expected to attend the Santa Monica BayKeeper's 3rd annual KelpFest and BayWalk today to raise awareness of beach and ocean restoration projects. At 9 a.m., participants in the 5-K and 10-K BayWalk will be given breakfast, gloves and bags and will pick up garbage along the shore between the Santa Monica and Venice piers, said Terry Tamminen, director of BayKeeper. The KelpFest, which will begin at 11 a.m.

Most letters to this part of your newspaper deal with important issues of widespread impact. This one deals with a small, uncommon courtesy that, I believe, deserves a moment of recognition. Michael Eisner, chairman of Disney Studios, had a helicopter waiting at the Malibu Sheriff's Station one night this past September, with special permission to take off around 9 p.m. Just below the chopper pad on a small patch of parkland, our community theater company was performing "A Midsummer Night's Dream."