Solis, facing opposition from Rep. Stephen Horn, R-Lakewood, and the prospect of defeat by the Republican-dominated panel, agreed to downsize her original park proposal by deleting the Lower Los Angeles River watershed, from East Los Angeles to Long Beach Harbor; and the San Gabriel River south of Santa Fe Springs to Long Beach.
The measure, now limited to the San Gabriel watershed north from Santa Fe Springs to the river's source in the San Gabriel Mountains, calls for the National Park Service to do a three-year, $500,000 study on the feasibility of creating a new park.
The bill now goes to the full House. A companion Senate measure, sponsored by Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., will be amended to match Solis' bill.
"This is a great victory," said Solis, who also expressed regret that she could not overcome foes' allegations of a federal land grab and increased flood dangers. "This will still help to preserve the most natural areas along the San Gabriel and will also help the people of my district, who are my primary concern."
"Although I support increasing opportunities for recreation and open spaces, this particular proposal could have had disastrous effects," said Horn. "Area projects, including flood control maintenance and upkeep, port projects, and water supply and sanitation programs could have been severely restricted by such an effort."
Horn was instrumental in obtaining federal funding for the Los Angeles County Drainage Area project, which raised levees along 21 miles of the Lower Los Angeles and Rio Hondo rivers. Completed late last year, LACDA freed an estimated 50,000 watershed area property owners from having to carry flood insurance.
"This is merely a study to find out the best way of preserving these areas and improving them for public use," Solis said. "My plan would do nothing to harm flood control. There was a lot of information being put out."
Solis also denied charges that the proposed park, which would link existing city and county recreation areas, would use eminent domain to acquire private riverside property. Critics of the park included Assemblywoman Sally Havice, D-Cerritos, who recently charged that Solis' bill "smacks of big-government abuse and imperialism."
Horn also said that a group called the Coalition for Practical Regulation, including officials of the cities of Bellflower, Downey, Lakewood, Paramount and Signal Hill, "raised legitimate concerns about balancing the need for parks with flood control and other critical projects in our area."
Solis said that her office received only one letter in opposition from the city of Bellflower. Long Beach City Manager Henry Taboada wrote Solis that he was not opposed to the project, but he sought assurances that all Los Angeles River area stakeholders would be included in the park study.
The park bill was co-sponsored by all San Gabriel Valley area House members, including Rep. David Dreier, R-Glendora. Other co-sponsors included Rep. Juanita Millender-McDonald, whose district includes large areas of the Los Angeles River watershed, including western Long Beach and Compton.
The plan also has been endorsed by the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments and its member cities, the Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District and the Friends of the San Gabriel River.
-- Bill Hillburg can be reached at (202) 662-8925.