News from the Wetlands: Join us on July 13 and More
 There is new development proposed for within the Southeast Area Specific Plan (SEASP) area. Attend our July 13th meeting to learn further details.   Whew, it has been so long since we have been able to meet in person. Over two years at least. We are so happy to be able to once again host an in-person meeting (held outside to be extra safe). That’s why I hope you will attend the Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust’s community meeting on Wednesday evening, July 13th. The purpose of our meeting is to update the community about development applications that have been submitted to the City for within SEASP, the zoning area that includes Los Cerritos Wetlands. It is no surprise there would be new development proposed for the area, since new zoning for that part of Long Beach was approved by the City Council and then the Coastal Commission a few years ago. Learn further details at our member meeting (anyone is invited to attend) on July 13th. In addition to hearing from our speaker, Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust members will be voting on some Board of Director positions. What: Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust Board Election/Community Meeting When: Wednesday, July 13th at 6:30PM Where: Belmont Heights Methodist Church (in their lovely outdoor courtyard area) 317 Termino Ave Long Beach, CA 90814 Our special guest speaker will be Terry Watt, whose work focuses on making California lands resilient against the impacts of a rapidly changing climate. Terry provides planning and strategic advice to clients working to conserve California’s important natural and working landscapes. Prior to forming her own consulting group, she was the staff planning expert with the environmental and land use law firm Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger. Terry is an expert in general and specific planning, open space and agricultural land conservation and environmental compliance. She works with a wide variety of conservation clients throughout California (including the Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust), government agencies and foundations. In addition to Terry’s presentation, we will also be using this occasion to conduct our Board of Director’s election, with five of our sitting directors seeking terms. Before the feature presentation, each of our Board candidates will have an opportunity to speak to attendees about their continuing commitment to Los Cerritos Wetlands, and Land Trust members will be able to vote. Whether you are a member or not, all are welcome at this meeting. For more information about the meeting or to RSVP, email elizabeth@lcwlandtrust.org Hope to see you there! Elizabeth Lambe Executive Director Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust P.S. Below is a map of the development applications that we are aware of within SEASP. We will review these applications in greater detail at our July 13th meeting.   Our next nature walk will be the Heron Hike. Reserve your spot!  The Marketplace Marsh is a freshwater area located on the part of Los Cerritos Wetlands owned by the City of Long Beach. Check it out with us on August 6th. Our nature walks have been quite popular this year. People seem really happy to be able to do things together again, especially outside. So I urge you to sign up now to attend our August 6th Heron Hike nature walk. Join us, and educators from the environmental consulting firm Tidal Influence, on a wonderful nature walk at Los Cerritos Wetlands on Saturday, August 6th. The unusual Marketplace Marsh is an amazing feature of Los Cerritos Wetlands. Perhaps there will be water within Marketplace Marsh, but certainly there will be lots of interesting plants and animals that attendees will learn about along the way. Environmental educators will take participants on a walking tour that will take us to Marketplace Marsh on the City of Long Beach’s wetlands and over to the San Gabriel River to property held by the Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority. We will likely come across great blue herons, as well as egrets and other water-loving wildlife. During this 2-mile urban hike, you will learn about the history of land acquisitions in Los Cerritos Wetlands, and leaders will show us some freshwater marsh habitats that few people have ever viewed. WHAT: Nature walk to Marketplace Marsh at Los Cerritos Wetlands. WHEN: Saturday, August 6th, 2022, at 8:00 AM. The parking lot gate will open at 7:45 AM and close at 8:10 AM. No latecomers can be admitted for the tour, and all participants must stay for the entire tour, which will end by 10:00 AM. WHERE: Meet in the driveway/parking area at the corner of 1st Street and PCH in Seal Beach. There will be signs. Close-toed shoes are required to attend the walk, and kids under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Reserve your spot via our Eventbrite page. Feel free to send me an email if you have any questions. Hope to see you there! Some good news…..there will be less polluting plastic in California thanks to Senate Bill 54  Photo by John Cameron on Unsplash I am happy to report to you that Senate Bill 54, was recently signed into law. It will require the makers of plastic packaging pay for recycling and reduce or eliminate single-use plastic packaging. It is an especially significant bill because it requires plastic producers to both make less plastic and to ensure that all single-use products are recyclable or compostable. California’s law follows similar laws, passed in Maine and Oregon, known as producer-responsibility laws. That means that the costs of recycling infrastructure, recycling plants and collection and sorting facilities, will be shifted to packaging manufacturers and away from taxpayers, who currently foot the bill. All forms of single-use packaging, including paper and metals, must be recyclable or compostable by 2032. This is most significant when it comes to plastic products, which are more technologically challenging to recycle. California will require a 25 percent reduction across all plastic packaging sold in the state, covering a wide range of items, whether shampoo bottles, plastics utensils, bubble wrap or takeaway cups. Manufacturers will pay for recycling programs and will be charged fees based on the weight of packaging, the ease of recycling and whether products contain toxic substances, such as PFAS, a type of virtually indestructible chemicals that have been linked to increased risk of some cancers. In addition, the law requires plastics manufacturers to pay $5 billion into a fund over the next 10 years that would mitigate the effects of plastic pollution on the environment and human health, primarily in low-income communities. Cheers to our local State Senator, Lena Gonzales who was a co-author of the bill, it is an amazing achievement. |
