| The vote to certify the Program Environmental Impact Report (PEIR) as part of the plan to restore Los Cerritos Wetlands is coming up fast. The Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority (LCWA) is expected to hear about and then vote to certify the document on Thursday, November 5th at their quarterly meeting. Those of you who have been following the many years of planning for restoration of Los Cerritos Wetlands will likely remember the many community meetings, public feedback, and expert analysis that lead to this moment. The LCWA is required have a certified environmental impact report for Los Cerritos Wetlands because it is part of the roadmap (even if it takes a long time) to a final and fully restored wetlands. Certification of the PEIR will be followed by a public process to complete an optimized restoration plan. Together, the Final PEIR and optimized restoration plan will enable the LCWA to consider restoration projects and seek funding for restoration activities. A certified plan allows potential funders (both governmental and private) to have specific information about how their donations will be implemented. The Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust has been involved in the process every step of the way. We have publicized and attended all public meetings, submitted many comment letters (aka feedback), and have worked very closely with the LCWA to improve their final plan. After some serious discussion, we are supportive of the certification of the PEIR, and we plan to say so at Thursday’s meeting. Of course, that doesn’t mean the end of our watchdogging and advocacy. A PEIR is designed to be a broad overview document from which restoration projects will spin off, each of those projects requiring its own in-depth review in order to determine impacts and benefits. That’s just how the system works, and given how important wetlands are and how so few of them remain, public input and oversight will be critical. What: Public meeting of the Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority (LCWA) When: Thursday, November 5th a 12:30PM Attend: Click this Zoom meeting link or attend by phone at 1-669-900-9128 Meeting ID: 823 9641 3191 Passcode: 953048 Why: To participate in the meeting and discussion about the certification of the LCWA’s Final Program Environmental Impact Report. The LCWA, as lead agency, is required under the California Environmental Quality Act to make written findings concerning each alternative and each significant environmental impact identified in the Los Cerritos Wetlands Restoration PEIR. The Findings and Statement of Overriding Considerations for that document is available here. If you would like even more information check out the LCWA’s website about the project. It will be a big day for the furtherance of restoration within Los Cerritos Wetlands. As always not everyone will agree, but we are pleased with this outcome and the role we played to make it better. |
Environmental Review for Los Cerritos Wetlands Heads to Vote
