Rep. Panetta Commends the U.S. Coast Guard for Listening to the People and Keeping the “Mile Buoy” in Santa Cruz Harbor

Santa Cruz, CA – United States Representative Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) commended the United States Coast Guard for listening to the outpouring of support by the Santa Cruz community and its decision to keep the iconic “Mile Buoy” in Santa Cruz Harbor.  In addition to working with the community members, Rep. Panetta worked with the U.S. Coast Guard to ensure that they are well aware of the importance and meaning of the Mile Buoy to Santa Cruz. 

The Mile Buoy has been present in Santa Cruz Harbor since 1906 and has provided a safe water marker in Santa Cruz Harbor for watercraft, swimmers, first responders, and residents alike.  The U.S. Coast Guard had previously noticed its intent to replace the buoy with a “virtual aid to navigation” utilizing GPS technology.  The buoy’s removal would have caused significant safety concerns for the community with the loss of a fixed reference point for boaters and kayakers who lack GPS as well as emergency responders responding to distressed vessels.  Rep. Panetta stressed these safety concerns to the U.S. Coast Guard in addition to the Mile Buoy’s importance to the history of Santa Cruz.

“The Mile Buoy has provided a fixed landmark for generations of families and boaters navigating the waters of Santa Cruz Harbor,” said Rep. Panetta.  “Through our united community engagement and work with the U.S. Coast guard, we proved the importance of buoy as a critical safety beacon and iconic piece of our history.  I praise the people of Santa Cruz for doing what they do best by engaging and participating in our governmental process and I commend the U.S. Coast Guard for listening to us in their decision to keep the Mile Buoy in place for our safety and our community.”

“This decision underscores our commitment to prioritizing safety while ensuring that the voices of the community are heard and considered,” said Capt. Steven Ramassini, chief, Coast Guard Office of Navigation Systems.  “The Coast Guard extends its sincere appreciation to the maritime community of Santa Cruz for their active participation in the formal process concerning navigation safety decisions.  The invaluable feedback provided by the community has greatly contributed to our comprehensive understanding of the impacts associated with our proposed action.”

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