Ballona Wetlands: Coastal Conservancy Approves Planning Funds

[Please scroll to the end for author's affiliations.]

On May 27th, the California Coastal Conservancy, a state agency charged with funding coastal preservation and restoration along the California Coast, allocated $2.2 million in pre-approved Proposition 12 Bond funds toward final design, engineering and public outreach for the Ballona Wetlands Restoration Project.

The State of California recently certified the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Project. The EIR informs multiple agencies (which must permit the project) about the project's environmental impacts, and recommends measures to minimize or eliminate those impacts. The EIR does not authorize construction.

Above: Artist rendering of an entrance to the restored Ballona Wetlands at Fiji Way. (CDFW)

The Ballona Project, managed by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, will enhance, create and restore nearly 600 acres of state owned tidelands south of Marina Del Rey. The project will remove about 3 million cubic yards of historic fill dirt left behind from Marina construction and return tidal wetlands to the area just south of Fiji Way. The fill dirt will be repurposed into modern, vegetated flood control levees that will replace the massive, obsolete concrete banks of Ballona Creek. Ten miles of new bicycle trails and footpaths will top the levees and other upland areas around the perimeter of the ecological reserve.

Above: The Public access and trails plan for the Ballona Wetlands Restoration Project. (CDFW)

Following staff presentations on the funding request, over 40 members of the public were each allowed one minute to state their support or opposition to the funding. Speaking in support of the funding were representatives of Heal the Bay, Friends of Ballona Wetlands, The Trust for Public Lands and many other environmental advocacy organizations and individuals.

Above: The southern bank of Ballona Creek will be replaced by an earthen levee supporting a new bike path and separate parallel footpaths.

Through a series of questions to staff, Coastal Conservancy Commissioner Joseph Alioto, who stated he read the entire 1000-plus page Restoration Project EIR in detail, strenuously debunked the baseless claims of many public commenters. These opponents alleged the Restoration Project was a conspiratorial front for expansion of Southern California Gas Company's Playa Del Rey gas storage facility. The gas facility has been scrutinized recently, owing to serious leakage problems several years ago at the utility's Aliso Canyon facility in the north San Fernando Valley.

California Fish and Wildlife's Director, Charles Bonham, echoed Alioto's stated facts in response to questioning: that the Ballona Wetlands Restoration Project will remove gas utility surface infrastructure from the state's land and has no bearing whatsoever on future utility operations.

Above: Many of the opponents of the Ballona Restoration also opposed the Malibu Lagoon Restoration, a California State Parks project that proved very successful. (Patch)

After a long, rich discussion, the Conservancy unanimously approved the Ballona funds, with one abstention. The next phase of planning, final engineering and permitting will thus proceed. Meanwhile, activists have filed several lawsuits challenging the project EIR and requesting taxpayer reimbursement for legal expenses. Those lawsuits will be first heard in Los Angeles Superior Court, Division 85, on July 15, at 9:30 AM.

Enjoy your Ballona Wetlands!

Above: The state's project will enhance tidal flows in the southern portion of the Ballona Wetlands, after the northern area work is complete and new habitat has grown in there.

Author's note on affiliations:

Dr. David W. Kay served on the Board of Directors of the non-profit Friends of Ballona Wetlands from 2007 until 2015, and served as Board President in 2012-13. He presently serves on the Board of Ballona Discovery Park in Playa Vista. David is a staunch advocate for the state of California's plans to restore the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve.

Since 1984, David has been employed by Southern California Edison Company, exclusively in the company's environmental services organizations. His many responsibilities included restoration of the 440-acre San Dieguito Wetlands near Del Mar. He is presently Senior Manager for Major Project Environmental Management at the company. David earned bachelor and masters degrees in biology and a doctorate in environmental science.

See David's Patch Community Contributor profile here.