California Coastal Commission Executive Director Dr. Charles Lester, a tireless advocate of the California Coastal Act, is facing termination. Environmental advocates believe this is a move to undermine the integrity of the California Coastal Program, gain control over an independent staff and make the commission more friendly to developers*. 

Sign the petition to save Dr. Lester, and send the message that Californians want the Coastal Commission to continue protecting our precious coastal resources from runaway development. 

*From the January 20th Los Angeles Times article: California Coastal Commission members to consider firing executive director

"Members of the California Coastal Commission are moving to fire its executive director, touching off a fierce debate over the commission's recent shift in favor of more development along the state's 1,000-mile shore.

The decision to consider firing Charles Lester was made at the commission's December meeting in Monterey, where the panel met in closed session for a "periodic performance review" of the executive director.

Lester was notified in a Jan. 14 letter that the panel "will consider whether to dismiss you" and gave him a choice of stepping aside and aiding in a transition or opting for a public hearing on his future. He chose the hearing, which ensures that the development tug of war will become the subject of public debate at a meeting scheduled for Feb. 10 in Morro Bay."