A major sand replenishment is headed to the San Clemente beach along the long-imperiled railway line, part of a large shoreline work package aimed at fortifying the vulnerable railroad while also protecting the area’s shrinking beaches.
The California Coastal Commission on Thursday approved an extensive permit that railway officials hope will help maintain the critical rail line, which has faced an onslaught of rising seas, harsh waves and strong storms over the last several years that have led to repeated closures — an issue only intensified this year by the historic El Niño.
A key element of the permit is the placement of almost 700,000 cubic yards of sand on sections of the area’s shrinking — or completely gone — beaches, an investment Orange County officials say will be the single largest sand replenishment along this stretch of coast in more than 60 years…