In November I told you about the Los Angeles County Department of Water & Power's plan to clean out silt from behind the Devil's Gate Dam.
Because the Draft Environmental Impact Report is so lacking in scientific study I didn't think things would get this far. But the DWP has not yet been sent back to the drawing table.
Here's the County's website for the project. A couple of interesting things to note:
The photo at the top of their website makes Hahamongna (the open space north of the dam) look like a big mud puddle, when right now it's full of green, gold and red foliage, scrub and habitat for the many species of animals who live there. This is the part of Hahamongna they want to denude, and leave that way permanently. (See the artist's rendition above.)
Public comments are due by January 6th. Yet although the County has held public meetings to talk about the plan, apparently no one in the immediate neighborhood of Hahamongna heard about those meetings. They're the ones whose property values are going to plummet because:
For 8 months of the year, 6 days a week, 12 hours a day for the next five years, trucks will be driving into the Hahamongna Basin to remove silt. That's one truck every 1.69 minutes. You might be able to dump a truck in less than two minutes, but you can't fill it that fast.
That means trucks, trucks and more trucks, backing up into the neighborhoods and waiting their turn while they spew diesel fumes, dust and noise. It may seem like this pollution will confine itself to the neighborhood but in reality it can't help but spread to all of us, not just the five schools near the dig site.
I think we can all agree that the silt has got to go. But there's no reason it has to go in five years, when it took ninety years to pile up.
Visit saveHahamongna.org to read about a better plan. For more information email gobalvin@gmail.com or call Christle Balvin at 626-449-8815.
You can also sign up at the Facebook event page.
10 comments:
"Eight months of the year, 6 days a week, 12 hours a day for the next five years, trucks will be driving into the Hahamongna Basin to remove silt. That's one truck every 1.69 minutes." The air and noise pollution alone makes this an untenable solution.
Oh argh, it always boggles the mind how these decisions get made. Once again, thank you thank you for raising awareness!
You said it so well, Petrea. I don't think many people realize the extent of the noise and pollution that will affect La Canada, Pasadena and Altadena for quite a few years.
I've just been to a meeting and listened to experts speak about this situation. It's pretty scary. I hope people will come to the Dam on the 14th, the more bodies the better! The experts will be there to explain this thing better than I can.
You've said it quite well, Petrea. Thank you for continuing to spread the word. It is quite scary imagining the scraped out moon crater replacing life in Hahamongna.
And now I feel so dumb with my finger wagging at the city council. Telling them that their big ass plans in Haha would impede LA County Public Works innovation for sediment movement. I was thinking or hoping or wishing LADPW would come through with a new approach. It hasn't happened but there is still the possibility.
Come on people! Let's hold hands across the dam on Saturday and make a statement for all to see. (cameras welcome!)
Thank you, Petrea. I think it will be great for all us together and share our strength!
I missed the meeting - was this the one at the animal shelter? Did it discuss the possibility of what the hell might be in that dirt?
I'll see you saturday
I am so focused on the terrible things they are doing in the Amazon and what the poor Xingu people are going through, that I don't remember hearing about this before until I read what you posted on Facebook. Thank you, Petrea!
JM, those are much bigger problems but they are all part of the whole--a planet under attack by those who plunder for money without concern for future generations.
PA, that was the meeting. There's concern about the possible carcinogenic qualities of the silt because JPL was/is a super-fund site. JPL has not been consulted by the County, and the clean-up they've been working on for a long time could be disrupted.
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