Matt O'Malley

A long-time environmental advocate and attorney, Matt most recently served as the Executive Director and Managing Attorney with San Diego Coastkeeper for nine years, where he led the organization’s legal, litigation, policy, and advocacy work. With over 25 years’ experience in public-interest environmental law and policy, Matt has successfully utilized strategic partnerships and local, state, and national laws and regulations to further the goals of environmental protection and justice. Among his accomplishments, along with environmental allies Matt negotiated a cooperative agreement with the City of San Diego for a multibillion-dollar wastewater recycling project (“Pure Water”), resulting in commitments to produce approximately one half of the City’s water supply by 2035 while reducing millions of gallons per day of polluted ocean discharges. Matt has also successfully negotiated dozens of agreements with agencies including the City and County of San Diego, the Del Mar Fairgrounds, the Port of San Diego, as well as with private industry, to achieve significant reductions in discharges of toxic pollutants into San Diego waterways from thousands of acres of properties throughout San Diego County. First appointed in 2019 by Senate President pro Tem Toni Atkins, Matt has served as a Commissioner on the California Coastal Commission, ensuring the protection of, and access to, California’s coastal resources for all.