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WHITTIER NARROWS RECREATION AREA

A Final Program Environmental Impact Report for the Whittier Narrows Dam Basin Recreation Area Master Development Plan Input has been prepared, and a hearing on the Final Plan will be held on March 30. The following steps leading to that report and hearing are given in detail below: Click on a step to go to that detail.

Background
     Whittier Narrows Recreation Area serves many purposes: its primary function - flood protection - as well as water conservation and public recreation. The area is under the jurisdiction of the Army Corps of Engineers, which leases approximately 1,200 acres to Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation and the City of Pico Rivera for recreation, and approximately 100 acres to other entities for non-recreational uses. The Recreation Area is one of the most popular regional parks in Los Angeles County, with an estimated 2 million visitors per year.
     A master plan was completed for the Area in 1974 and updated in 1999. Population growth, increased demand for recreation services, and changing recreation preferences have prompted a series of agency partners to seek input for possible improvements to the Area. Opportunities for improving water quality and enhancing habitat are also being sought.A series of public meetings and workshops were held in which the community was invited to help create a vision for Whittier Narrows Recreation Area.
     The Watershed Conservation Authority (WCA) is the Lead Agency for the Whittier Narrows Recreation Area (WNRA) Master Development Plan Input (proposed project), and proceded to prepare a Program Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the project. This consists of the steps and downloadable PDF files shown below:

Step 1: Notice of Preparation of a Program Environmental Impact Report
     In compliance with Section 15082 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines, the WCA sent the Notice of Preparation (NOP) and Scoping Meeting Announcement (10 pages, 2.0 mb) to each responsible agency and federal agency that may be involved in approving the project, to trustee agencies responsible for natural resources that may be affected by the project, and to interested parties that requested to receive such notices about the proposed project.
     A public Scoping Meeting was held on Wednesday, December 16, 2009 to solicit comments from public agencies and the general public about their concerns and interests to be addressed in the Program EIR for the proposed project. The NOP review and comment period ended December 30, 2009.

Step 2: Draft Documents
     The following draft documents incorporate numerous revisions based on comments the WCA received at the scoping meeting as well as written comments subsequently sent in:
Review Draft of the Master Development Plan Input for the Whittier Narrows Dam Basin Recreation Area [151 pages, 2.0 mb]
Review Draft of Maps of the Whittier Narrows Dam Basin Recreation Area [18 pages, 9.6 mb]

Step 3: Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR)
     A Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) has been created. The DEIR is a large document which consists of the following component PDF files.
Cover and Table of Contents [11 pages, 59 kb]
Sections
1.0 Executive Summary [ 32 pages, 171 kb]
2.0 lntroduction [12 pages, 51 kb]
3.0 Environmental Setting [22 pages, 4.2 mb]
4.0 Project Description [28 pages, 4.0 mb]
5.0 Environmental Setting, Thresholds of Significance, Environmental Impacts,
Mitigation Program, Cumulative Impacts, and Level of Significance After Mitigation [2 pages, 19 kb]
5.1 Aesthetics [8 pages, 34 kb]
5.2 Agriculture and Forest Resources [8 pages, 36 kb]
5.3 Air Quality [28 pages, 165 kb]
5.4 Biological Resources [22 pages, 4.0 mb]
5.5 Cultural Resources [16 pages, 64 kb]
5.6 Geology and Soils [19 pages, 2.6 mb]
5.7 Hazards and Hazardous Materials [30 pages, 1.9 mb]
5.8 Hydrology and Water Quality [50 pages, 4.9 mb]
5.9 Land Use and Planning [24 pages, 5.6 mb]
5.10 Mineral Resources [6 pages, 33 kb]
5.11 Noise [26 pages, 205 kb]
5.12 Population and Housing [6 pages, 28 kb]
5.13 Public Services [10 pages, 43 kb]
5.14 Parks and Recreation [10 pages, 213 kb]
5.15 Transportation [40 pages, 3.5 mb]
5.16 Utilities and Service Systems [36 pages, 568 kb]
5.17 Greenhouse Gas Emissions [22 pages, 127 kb]
6.0 Alternatives to the Proposed Project [22 pages, 78 kb]
7.0 Long-Term Implications of the Proposed Project [4 pages, 22 kb]
8.0 List of EIR Preparers and Contributors [2 pages, 12 kb]
9.0 List of Acronyms and Abbreviations [8 pages, 46 kb]
Appendices
A - Notice of Preparation and Mailing List [25 pages, 3.9 mb]
B - Notice of Preparation Comments [90 pages, 10.3 mb]
C - Scoping Meeting [20 pages, 6.5 mb]
D - Biological Assessment [47 pages, 5.5 mb]
E - Hazardous Material Record Search [1960 pages, 5.7 mb]
F - Water and Utility Resources Report [143 pages, 5.7 mb]
G - Public Service Letter [4 pages, 264 kb]
H - Traffic Study [102 pages, 4.4 mb]

Step 4: Public Review
      A community meeting was held on Tuesday, November 16 at South El Monte High School, South El Monte, California 91733. The meeting provided an overview of the draft plan and described the process and timeline for receiving comments on both the draft plan and the Draft EIR. The public review period for both the Draft EIR and the draft plan ended on Wednesday, December 22, 2010.

Step 5: Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR)
     The Final Program Environmental Impact Report for the Whittier Narrows Dam Basin Recreation Area (WNDBRA) Master Development Plan Input (MDPI) is made up of the draft documents listed above plus the following:

Step 6: Hearing on the Final Plan
      A public hearing by the Watershed Conservation Authority for action on the Final Environmental Impact Report will be held on

March 30 at 10 am
at the Garvey Community Center
9108 Garvey Avenue
Rosemead, CA 91770
Map Logo

For more information contact:

Marybeth Vergara
Phone: (626) 815-1019, Extension 111
Email: mvergara@rmc.ca.gov

Address:
Watershed Conservation Authority  
100 Old San Gabriel Canyon Road
Azusa, CA 91702


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