Research Biologists Steve Schroeter, Dan Reed and Mark Page, are working with the staff of the California Coastal Commission (CCC) on a large multidimensional program designed to mitigate for the loss of coastal marine resources caused by the operation of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS), a coastal power plant located in north San Diego County. The major emphasis of this program is compensation for lost marine resources via wetland restoration and artificial reef construction. Schroeter, Reed and Page consult with the employees of the power plant (Southern California Edison), the CCC and their staff, and other resource agencies on ecological issues relating to the design of the mitigation projects and are responsible for developing and implementing monitoring programs that can evaluate whether the biological and physical performance of these projects meet pre-determined standards.These are not trivial tasks as the mitigation projects associated with this program are among the largest ever attempted (e.g. 150 acre artificial reef off of San Clemente, CA designed to support a kelp forest community, and 150 acres of upland in the San Dieguito River Valley that is to be restored to tidal wetland). Comprehensive monitoring of the wetland and artificial reef projects by a team of MSI staff biologists led by Schroeter, Reed and Page will be done over the operating life of the power plant (expected to be ~ 30 years) to ensure that the loss of marine resources caused by the operation of the power plant is fully compensated for.The LA Times has a feature of their work on the San Clemente Artificial Reef.