BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Senator Ricardo Lara, Chair
2015 - 2016 Regular Session
SB 1374 (Lara) - San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and
Mountains Conservancy: stormwater capture projects
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|Version: April 5, 2016 |Policy Vote: N.R. & W. 7 - 2 |
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|Urgency: No |Mandate: No |
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|Hearing Date: April 25, 2016 |Consultant: Narisha Bonakdar |
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This bill meets the criteria for referral to the Suspense File.
Bill
Summary: SB 1374 requires the San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles
Rivers and Mountains Conservancy (RMC) to identify projects that
are consistent with the Master Plan and other existing
requirements, and that would maximize the capture of stormwater
along the Lower Los Angeles River.
Fiscal
Impact:
Unknown, but potentially significant, costs to the RMCHAPTER
Background:1) The RMC was created by the Legislature in 1999. The RMC's
mission is, among other things, to preserve open space and
habitat in order to provide for low-impact recreation and
educational uses, wildlife habitat restoration and protection,
and watershed improvements within its jurisdiction. It is one of
ten conservancies located in the Natural Resources Agency. The
RMC's territory includes the San Gabriel River and lower Los
SB 1374 (Lara) Page 1 of
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Angeles River watersheds. The lower Los Angeles River is that
portion of the river downstream of the border between the Cities
of Los Angeles and Vernon.
Existing law imposes certain limitations on the RMC with respect
to actions that affect water or water management in the
watersheds under its jurisdiction.
In the early 1990s, community activism over turning a railyard
adjacent to the Los Angeles River into open space coincided with
Los Angeles County beginning a process that, after considerable
input from stakeholders and community outreach, resulted in the
County's Los Angeles River Master Plan (Master Plan) in 1996.
The Master Plan described how economic growth could be spurred
along the Los Angeles River in the County through zoning changes
and the development of open space, recreational, cultural,
artistic, educational, and other opportunities. Ultimately over
several decades, the Master Plan proposed that the Los Angeles
River be returned to a less-polluted, functioning riparian
environment in as many reaches as possible, while still
controlling flooding and providing recreational opportunities.
The City of Los Angeles' Los Angeles River Revitalization Master
Plan (Revitalization Master Plan) was released in 2007.
Continuing the long-term goals of the County Master Plan for the
reach of the Los Angeles River within the City's boundaries, the
Revitalization Master Plan also promoted the revitalization of
the Los Angeles River as a multi-benefit solution to addressing
and enhancing water quality and flood control while enabling
safe access to the river and restoring a functional river
ecosystem.
Both plans contain a list of projects to be completed. Numerous
Los Angeles River restoration projects have been undertaken
since the release of the Master Plan and Revitalization Master
Plan. These projects include the creation of habitat and pocket
parks, among others. Many of these projects provide
multi-benefit solutions such as providing for groundwater
recharge from floodwaters.
Proposed Law:
This bill would require the RMC to identify projects,
consistent with the Master Plan and existing requirements, that
would maximize the capture of stormwater along the Lower Los
SB 1374 (Lara) Page 2 of
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Angeles River.
Related
Legislation: AB 530 (Rendon, Chapter 684, Statutes of 2015)
established the Lower Los Angeles River Working Group to develop
revitalization plans, as specified.
SB 355 (Lara, Chapter 677, Statutes of 2015) modified the
composition of the conservancy's board.
SB 485 (Hernandez, Chapter 678, Statutes of 2015) authorized the
Los Angeles County Sanitation District to divert, manage, treat
and discharge stormwater and dry weather runoff and make
beneficial use of the water, as specified.
SB 985 (Pavley, Chapter 555, Statutes of 2014) authorized the
development of a stormwater resource plan to identify and
prioritize stormwater and dry weather runoff capture projects
for implementation, as specified, among other provisions.
Staff
Comments: According to the author, ""The intent of this bill is
to promote opportunities for stormwater projects on the Lower
Los Angeles River by directing the [RMC] to identify projects
that would maximize the capture of stormwater along the river."
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