"Two members of Congress are ramping up efforts to investigate the consequences of DDT pollution off the Southern California coast — an issue that has horrified scientists and policymakers since they learned that as many as half a million barrels of toxic waste had been dumped into the ocean after World War II.
In a first-of-its kind bill introduced this week in both the Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives, the Ocean Protection and DDT Reduction Act lays out a long-awaited proposal on how to reckon with California’s poisoned marine environment. The legislation has been years in the making and seeks to address many of the concerns raised by Californians and others around the world.
“I was shocked ... I know firsthand how much our communities depend on a healthy ocean — from our fishermen and maritime workers to our tourism and coastal economies. We have a responsibility to protect these waters,” said U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara,) who introduced the bill with U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and cited The Times’ coverage of the issue. “Our hope is to move things forward in a way that is meaningful, in a way that’s done expeditiously, and in a way where we are able to achieve a real, meaningful solution to this problem.”"
Rosanna Xia reports for the Los Angeles Times October 1, 2026.
