Sounding the Call

The destruction of the Arcadia Woodlands by the County, and the impending removal of wooded areas in the Hahamongna Watershed Park has sparked a reaction from the residents and public because of the lack of public notice on these issues and the determination by the County not to consider alternatives to the destruction of critical natural habitat. As a result of these actions, there was a meeting on Saturday January 29 at the Eaton Canyon Nature Center of concerned residents and environmental organizations to thrash out a coalition and challenge the decimation of natural resources with outdated brute-force engineering models. Petrea reports on the meeting here.

The County has issued an invitation to the public for a task force meeting today, asking for RSVP's:

The LA County Flood Control District (LACFCD) is organizing a Task Force to develop sediment management approaches that support the continued operation of the region’s dams and debris basins while minimizing impact to the environment and surrounding communities. The first meeting of this Task Force will be Monday, January 31, 2011.

[LACFCD] would like to work together with local and regional stakeholders to develop additional methods of dealing with sediment in a sustainable manner – taking economic, social, and environmental impacts into account. This is intended to result in creation of a 20-year Long term Sediment Management Plan for the period 2012-2032.

Your participation in the Task Force is crucial to developing a comprehensive Sediment Management Strategic Plan that will address the region’s long-term sediment needs while considering local and environmental issues as well. The first meeting will be held on Monday, January 31, 2011, from 2 to 4 p.m. at the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Works Headquarters located at 900 South Fremont Avenue, Alhambra, CA 91803. The meeting will be in Conference Rooms A and B. The Task Force will meet several more times as the plan is developed over the year.

Attendance at the County's meeting today will be the beginning of a task force with respect to the County's sediment plan, however these incidents are also instigating a coalition of organizations to come together in order to additionally reform the County's practices and return them to lawful process. The group feels that the County has violated their right to have a say on the preservation of natural habitat that is critcal for managing water flows and ecosystems that buffer urban areas and provide open space. This is the beginning of some very serious public action around the County's behavior in managing public resources.