On November 8th our coalition partner Ballona Institute mobilized community members to oppose the Ballona Wetlands Restoration Project Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) at a public hearing. The proposed project would use millions of dollars in public money to bulldoze the Ballona Wetlands and create a brand new tidal wetland on the site.  Historical evidence suggests the Ballona Wetlands was never a tidal wetland but freshwater wetland whose water level fluctuated with the seasons.  This "restoration" project is not restoration, but new development project to create a completely new place more concerned about human utilization than wildlife protection.  The project is supported by SoCal Gas and "environmental" groups Bay Foundation, Heal the Bay, LA Waterkeepers and Friends of Ballona.  All the environmental groups supporting the project are all benefactors of donations from SoCal Gas.  We support Ballona Institute in declaring the only acceptable option in the DEIR is option 4: NO ACTION.  CA Dept of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and the Army Corps of Engineers (ACE) are receiving public comment until February 5, 2018.  Please let them know you don't want to see Ballona Bulldozed and you don't want public money going to SoCal Gas.  You can find the DEIR here.   You can leave public comment with CDFW and ACE:
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CDFW: Richard Brody, CDFW
c/o ESA (jas)
550 Kearny Street, Suite 800
San Francisco, CA 94108
​Email: [email protected]
ACE: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Los Angeles District, Regulatory Division
ATTN: SPL-2010-01155 (Bonnie Rogers)
915 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 930
Los Angeles, CA  90017-3401
Email:  [email protected]

SoCal Gas canceled the open house today.  Siting "comments" made by online groups threatening to disrupt the event.  We had no disruptive actions planned unless you considered showing up and asking questions of SoCal Gas disruptive.  Apparently they do.  At least we know they're afraid of us and answering questions. 

Food and Water Watch and Save Porter Ranch hosted a town hall focusing on the negative health impacts the Aliso Canyon facility has had on the surrounding community.  Dr. Jeffrey Nordella reviews his findings after treating victims of the blowout.  The PdR facility poses these same risks to our community.  

At the August meeting of the Westchester/Playa Neighborhood Council concerned residents of Playa del Rey protested a letter the council the submission of a letter to the city council in support of the ongoing operation of the PdR natural gas storage facility.  In response to the communities objections the letter was revised to encourage SoCal gas to host an open house with the community.  Great job everyone involved.

Mike Bonin introduced a motion (17-0756) to the Planning and Land Use Management Committee (PLUM).  The motion is asking requesting the Petroleum Administrator, Dept of Building and Safety, LAFD and the City Attorny's office to investigate the PdR natural gas facility to make sure it is compliant with all regulatory agencies.  Thank you Mike Bonin for looking into the operations of this dangerous facility.