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Non-profit

Los Angeles Waterkeeper

Website:

www.lawaterkeeper.org/
Location:

Los Angeles, CA
Tax ID:

95-4444787
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2020):

Revenue: $1,359,216
Expenses: $1,355,629
Assets: $915,203
Type:

Environmental Advocacy and Litigation
Founded:

1993
Executive Director:

Bruce Reznik

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Los Angeles Waterkeeper (LAW) is an environmental watchdog organization that conducts advocacy and litigation to support left-of-center environmentalist policies for Los Angeles-area waterways. Since its inception in 1993, LAW has filed over 100 lawsuits. 1 It is a member of the environmental activist group Waterkeeper Alliance. 2

Background

Los Angeles Waterkeeper (LAW) was originally founded as Santa Monica Baykeeper in 1993 by Terry Tamminen in partnership with philanthropists Frank and Luanne Wells. Tamminen started by patrolling the Santa Monica Bay on a houseboat looking for activities that caused pollution and then pursuing litigation to address these. 3

LAW’s first lawsuit in 1994 was with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), one of the nation’s largest environmentalist groups, against the California Department of Transportation (known as Caltrans) to reduce pollution on Los Angeles highways. LAW focuses on litigation guided by the belief that “the most powerful and effective resource available in our quest for healthy waterways: the law.” Since its founding Los Angeles Waterkeeper has filed over 100 lawsuits. 4

LAW moved its location to Los Angeles in 2022 after 30 years in Santa Monica to be closer to the governmental and water agencies and to participate in county and city meetings concerning water use. 5 It maintains a full-time staff of environmental scientists, attorneys, and educators. 6

LAW is a member of the Waterkeeper Alliance, an environmental activist group supporting left-of-center environmental policies. 7

Programs

The Pollution Prevention program focuses on industrial and stormwater runoff which carries pesticides, herbicides, oils, trash, and contaminants from communities and businesses that flow into the area’s waters untreated. Los Angeles Waterkeeper uses oversight and litigation to enforce or create regulations as well as education and advocacy. Through the Community Water Watch LAW trains volunteers to do water quality sampling that can be used in advocacy and litigation. 8

The Healthy Habitats program includes research, fieldwork, community engagement, and regulatory and legal advocacy focused on cleaning up Los Angeles waterways. The Marine Protected Area Watch coordinates coastal on-the-water monitoring trips for staff and volunteers, looking for illegal fishing, toxic pollution, and other threats to the waterways. 9

The Systems Change program promotes a “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Restore” approach for reduced water usage, stormwater reuse, wastewater recycling, and groundwater restoration through advocacy and litigation. 10

As of April 2023, LAW was preparing to roll out the Clean Water Activist program, which will involve virtual activist training for members of Los Angeles area communities to give them the tools they need to attend public meetings, speak out, and engage in activism when decisions that they perceive will impact their environment are being made. 11

Controversies

In June 2022, Los Angeles County approved the L.A. River Master Plan which included the development of 51 miles of open space and industrial areas along the river into a cultural park. Eight environmental groups, including Los Angeles Waterkeeper, withdrew support for the plan, indicating they would rather see more natural preservation of the river and surrounding area. The groups asked that their names and logos be removed from the master plan. 12 13 In July 2022, Los Angeles Waterkeeper and Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) filed a lawsuit against Los Angeles County requesting that they rescind their approval of the plan. 14

Funding

Its 2020 donors included left-of-center donor advised fund Network for Good, apparel company Patagonia which is known for its environmental activism, left-of-center grantmaking and environmental conservation group Resources Legacy Fund, and Rose Foundation for Communities and the Environment. 15

Partners of Los Angeles Waterkeeper include the social-activist Liberty Hill Foundation, described as the “Home for Progressive Los Angeles”; 16 Environment Now, a nonprofit foundation founded by philanthropists Frank and Luanne Wells to address California’s environment; 17 and left-of-center environmentalist organization 1% for the Planet. 18 19

Leadership

Bruce Reznik is executive director of Los Angeles Waterkeeper. He is a California licensed attorney that has been involved in affordable housing efforts and in water advocacy throughout his career. 20 Previously, Reznik led LAW’s sister organization San Diego Coastkeeper and was executive director for the San Diego Housing Federation. 21

Jonathan D. Varat is board chair. 22 Varat is a professor at UCLA School of Law. 23

Terry Tamminen was the founder of Santa Monica Baykeeper. He led the organization for five years then continued to work for environmental causes. He was executive director of the Environment Now Foundation; CEO of the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, a left-of-center environmental activist and grantmaking organization chaired by actor Leonardo DiCaprio; and strategic advisor to the founding chair of R20 Regions of Climate Action which develops financial vehicles for environmental projects globally. 24

References

  1. “Litigation = Impact.” Los Angeles Waterkeeper – News – Reports. May 12, 2022. Accessed April 15, 2023. https://www.lawaterkeeper.org/reports/litigation-impact
  2. Waterkeeper Alliance website. Accessed April 15, 2023. https://waterkeeper.org/
  3. “Litigation = Impact.” Los Angeles Waterkeeper – News – Reports. May 12, 2022. Accessed April 15, 2023. https://www.lawaterkeeper.org/reports/litigation-impact
  4. “Litigation = Impact.” Los Angeles Waterkeeper – News – Reports. May 12, 2022. Accessed April 15, 2023. https://www.lawaterkeeper.org/reports/litigation-impact
  5. Morgan Owen. “Water watchdog group moves to DTLA.” DT News – Downtown Los Angeles. October 25, 2022. Accessed April 15, 2023. http://www.ladowntownnews.com/news/water-watchdog-group-moves-to-dtla/article_ad96104e-5195-11ed-a4c4-d7fc51d0d846.html
  6. Los Angles Waterkeeper Audited Financial Statements – Note 1. December 31, 2021 and 2020. Accessed April 15, 2023. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5f84d910a5bb1f76ec33550d/t/635316b32a54ac5e5d0d7a9c/1666389687106/LAWK+2021+Audited+Financial+Statements+-+Final.pdf
  7. Waterkeeper Alliance website. Accessed April 15, 2023. https://waterkeeper.org/
  8. Los Angeles Waterkeeper. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax. (Form 990 – Part III). 2021.
  9. Los Angeles Waterkeeper. Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990 – Part III). 2021.
  10. “Systems Change.” Los Angeles Waterkeeper – What We Do. Accessed April 15, 2023. https://www.lawaterkeeper.org/systems-change
  11. GuideStar Profile – Los Angeles Waterkeeper. Accessed April 15, 2023. https://www.guidestar.org/profile/95-4444787
  12. “The Fight for the LA River.” Los Angeles Waterkeeper – News. June 23, 2022. Accessed April 15, 2023. https://www.lawaterkeeper.org/news/the-future-of-the-la-river
  13. Louis Sahagun. “County approves L.A. River Master Plan over 11th-hour objections from environmental groups.” Los Angeles Times. June 14, 2022. Accessed April 15, 2023. https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2022-06-14/la-river-master-plan-grapples-with-defections
  14. “LA County Sued Over Faulty Environmental Review Process for Los Angeles River Master Plan.” Los Angeles Waterkeeper – News. July 14, 2022. Accessed April 15, 2023. https://www.lawaterkeeper.org/press-releases/la-county-sued-over-faulty-environmental-review-lariver-master-plan
  15. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer – Los Angeles Waterkeeper. Accessed April 15, 2023. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/full_text_search?q=los+angeles+waterkeeper
  16. “About Us.” Liberty Hill Foundation. Accessed April 15, 2023. https://www.libertyhill.org/who-we-are/about-us/
  17. “How We Work.” Environment Now. Accessed April 15, 2023. https://environmentnow.org/how-we-work/
  18. “Our Alliances.” Los Angeles Waterkeeper – About. Accessed April 15, 2023. https://www.lawaterkeeper.org/about
  19. “Litigation = Impact. Acknowledgements.” Los Angeles Waterkeeper – News – Reports. May 12, 2022. Accessed April 15, 2023. https://www.lawaterkeeper.org/reports/litigation-impact
  20. “Bruce Reznik.” Los Angeles Waterkeeper – Our Team.” Accessed April 15, 2023. https://www.lawaterkeeper.org/our-team/bruce-reznik
  21. “Bruce Reznik.” Waterkeeper Alliance – Staff. Accessed April 15, 2023. https://waterkeeper.org/staff/bruce-reznik/
  22. “Letter from the Executive Director and Board Chair.” LA Waterkeeper’s Litigation Impact Report. May 12, 2020. Accessed April 15, 2023. https://www.lawaterkeeper.org/reports/litigation-impact
  23. [1] LinkedIn – Jon Varat. Accessed April 15, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-varat-99a8558/
  24. LinkedIn – Terry Tamminen. Accessed April 15, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/terry-tamminen-b8523ab3/
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November
  • Tax Exemption Received: May 1, 1994

    • Available Filings

    Period Form Type Total revenue Total functional expenses Total assets (EOY) Total liabilities (EOY) Unrelated business income? Total contributions Program service revenue Investment income Comp. of current officers, directors, etc. Form 990
    2020 Dec Form 990 $1,359,216 $1,355,629 $915,203 $48,259 N $823,381 $529,960 $975 $159,278 PDF
    2019 Dec Form 990 $1,287,545 $1,389,276 $1,012,766 $149,409 N $826,128 $445,835 $1,751 $167,148 PDF
    2018 Dec Form 990 $1,786,513 $1,874,764 $1,195,265 $230,177 N $944,829 $828,062 $969 $151,501 PDF
    2017 Dec Form 990 $1,841,941 $1,603,921 $1,138,756 $85,417 N $818,143 $832,319 $219 $140,000 PDF
    2016 Dec Form 990 $1,281,121 $1,246,299 $878,898 $63,579 N $528,773 $258,250 $212 $0 PDF
    2015 Dec Form 990 $1,056,718 $1,056,785 $816,216 $35,719 N $483,420 $283,746 $236 $0 PDF
    2014 Dec Form 990 $1,120,639 $1,118,620 $807,539 $26,975 N $743,480 $369,800 $334 $123,087 PDF
    2013 Dec Form 990 $1,015,934 $880,294 $798,381 $19,836 N $960,744 $50,000 $495 $107,833 PDF
    2012 Dec Form 990 $1,082,172 $776,249 $671,126 $28,221 N $852,033 $222,384 $261 $103,700 PDF
    2011 Dec Form 990 $760,403 $726,979 $365,469 $27,601 N $728,331 $22,094 $383 $99,000 PDF
    2010 Dec Form 990 $578,451 $685,232 $331,806 $27,362 N $564,379 $13,744 $328 $83,340 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    Los Angeles Waterkeeper


    Los Angeles, CA