Statement from Kerry O’Toole, ALC President
on the Retirement of Peter Douglas from
California Coastal Commission

On behalf of the American Land Conservancy (ALC) I wish to extend our sincere thanks and good wishes to Peter Douglas as he steps down after a more than 40-year tenure at the California Coastal Commission.  Few, if any, conservation leaders have had a greater impact on protecting California’s stunning coastal resources, and all Americans owe him a great debt of gratitude. For decades he stood up against the immense pressures that would have altered the coast forever and meant the demise of irreplaceable habitats and truly special places. Instead, critical habitat and world-class public recreation areas have been preserved.

Peter’s impact on conserving California’s stunning coastal resources extends well beyond his years as the Coastal Commission, beginning in 1972 with his co-authoring of Proposition 20, which created the Coastal Commission, as well as his writing of the subsequent Coastal Act in 1976, which made the Commission permanent. 

Considered the strongest coastal protection program in the world, it, along with Peter’s relentless efforts, resulted in the protection of some of California’s signature coastal gems, such as Monterey Bay, the public beaches at Malibu, San Onofre State Park, and many,many others.  

ALC’s board chair, Gary Giacomini, served on the Coastal Commission for twelve years while Peter was at the helm and commented that, “When you think of the Coastal Commission and all its achievements, you think of Peter. He truly embodied all that it stands for and he is simply irreplaceable. His retirement marks the end of an era and he will truly be missed.”

All of us who work each day to conserve threatened resources in California are humbled by Peter’s accomplishments. His vision and fortitude for these many years has ensured our children, grandchildren, and the many who will follow them will continue to enjoy the innumerable recreational and scenic benefits of the coast. 

As Peter himself often said, “the legacy of the Coastal Commission are all the things you don’t see: the wetlands that haven’t been paved over, the agricultural land that hasn’t been subdivided, the coastal access that remains open.” 

Thank you, Peter. Your courage, skill, passion, and deep commitment have left a gift that can never be repaid, and which will continue to reap benefits for generations to come.

For more information, please visit the California Coastal Commission.