Volunteer to save the Whittier Narrows Natural Area from developers.
Meet the Natural Area. Enter at 1000 N. Durfee Avenue, South El Monte, California.
Above left. June 11, 2008. Docent Naturalist calls to & locates Endangered Least Bells Vireo.
(For 2008 Whittier Natural Area photos of the Least Bells Vireo see Updates.)
Above right. A school field trip and nature walk concludes with learning about a king snake.
BIOLOGISTS SAY "DISCOVERY CENTER PROJECT INCOMPATIBLE IN A SIGNIFICANT ECOLOGICAL AREA". On May 5, 2008 LA County Department of Regional Planning biologists (SEATAC) met and voted to reject the Biological Restraints Analysis of Discovery Center.
NOTICE: Because of the holiday, Friends will not meet on July 6. We return to our weekly meetings on Sunday July 13 at 1:00PM in the Nature Center picnic area. Join us!
Friends of the Whittier Narrows Natural Area
P.O. Box 3522
South El Monte, CA 91733-0522
ph: 626 286 3850
alt: For official Natural Area inquires and for official activities of the Whittier Narrows Nature Center please call 626 575 5523.
Comment on the Draft Environmental Impact Report
San Gabriel River Discovery Center at Whittier Narrows Initial Study, August 2006
It is 32 pages. In includes the Notice of Preparation, CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act) check list, maps and site drawings
The September 26, 2006 Presentation of the Initial Study
San Gabriel River Corridor Master Plan & Program EIR
Go to http://ladpw.org/wmd/watershed/sg/mp/ for links to both Master Plan and the Program EIR. Both are hundreds of pages.
San Gabriel River Discovery Center Schematic Design Report
Learn about the main reason for siting the at the Whittier Narrows Natural Area:
"Favorable Political Climate" (page 4) Does a natural area need a "park and fly" 150 space parking lot for weekend flights to Sacramento by the Metropolitan Water District and "local government agency decision/policy makers to have coffee, catch a short flight at LAX to Sacramento to tour State Water Project"? (Appendix G page 117)
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
Above, View of some of the at least 50 mature trees that would be removed to build the 18,300 Square foot Discovery Center "green" building and the artificial "wetland" and "green" 150 space parking lot . Each white asterisk in the map, below, represents one of the fity trees that would be removed. Note, only trees over 8 inches in diameter are considered trees by the developers.
When the Draft Environmental Impact Repoert is released, please exercise your rights as members of the community. By law your comments and concerns have to be considered and must to be submitted during the Public Comment period, which could be as few as 30 days from the release of the Draft EIR.
The current revised date for the release of the DEIR is September 2008 as of June 10, 2008
When the Draft EIR is released for Public Comment, send your comments (by US Certified Mail, Return Receipt Requested) to:
ValorieShatynski,
Rivers and Mountains Conservancy
"El Encanto"
100 N. Old San Gabriel Canyon Road
Azusa, CA 91702
Please send a copy of you comments to Friends of the Whittier Narrows Natural area, either at info@naturalareafriends.net
and P.O. Box 3522 South El Monte, CA 91733-0522.
Several documents are essential for you to be knowledgeable when commenting of the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR). Some of them are linked at the right.
Striped Racer in the Whittier Narrows Natural Area
Friends of the Whittier Narrows Natural Area
P.O. Box 3522
South El Monte, CA 91733-0522
ph: 626 286 3850
alt: For official Natural Area inquires and for official activities of the Whittier Narrows Nature Center please call 626 575 5523.
