SUBJECT: ARROYO SECO WATER REUSE PROJECT
Dear Mayor Gordo, and Councilmembers Hampton, Jones, Madison, Williams, Masuda, Rivas and Lyon:
I have grave concerns with the Arroyo Seco Water Reuse Project. I believe the Mitigated Negative Declaration that was prepared for the project was deficient and did not fully address impacts from the project. A few of my concerns are: Although the project was initially presented as a larger series of projects it is not clear that the cumulative impacts from this project and the other projects were fully analyzed. Additionally, how this project would impact natural stream restoration in the Arroyo Seco and the reintroduction of steelhead trout by CDFW into the Arroyo Seco was not mentioned. At the San Pascual site the impacts of removing over 82 percent of a mini forest that has existed since the Arroyo Seco was first channelized in 1938 on wildlife and on the community who live adjacent was not adequately addressed. A majority of these mature trees are over 50 feet tall and many are protected or significant trees. The project calls for Los Angeles park land to be used by South Pasadena in perpetuity and to become inaccessible to residents, which goes against the Los Angeles Charter. Finally, this area is sacred to the Gabrieleno Kizh nation yet the Kizh were not appropriately consulted in the planning process as required by AB 52.
Outreach about the project was inadequate. Advertising of the meetings were very limited, leading to the meetings being poorly attended. None were held in Los Angeles. Notice for the project was sent the Wednesday before Thanksgiving last year arriving on Black Friday which meant it was overlooked by the few residents who received it. Also, the notice and all project documents were entirely in English even though a great number of residents adjacent to the project only speak Spanish. This was in violation of Title 2. I, along with over a thousand other people have signed letters and petitions of concern about the Arroyo Seco Water Reuse Project.
A complete unbiased environmental review process for this project, with robust public engagement, is necessary.
Thank you,
(Your name)