Briefly in the news

The Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board announced this week

that it will rule on the possibility of issuing a cease-and-desist order

against the Irvine Co.’s dumping of water at Crystal Cove State Park.

The water board will consider the question at its Nov. 16 meeting.

State water officials are trying to determine if it is illegal to

discharge water at environmentally sensitive areas like Crystal Cove.

The state’s decision could theoretically preempt the regional board’s

threatened action of enforcement. However, it is unclear when or if the

state agency will reach a decision on the legality of water discharges.

Crystal Cove is the site of ongoing discharges of runoff from nearby

developments, activists say, with some of the water flows coming as

recently as this past weekend.