Ballona Wetlands: State Holds Public Meeting on Revised EIR

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife held a virtual public meeting on November 7 to take comments on the agency’s proposed scope of a court-ordered Environmental Impact Report (EIR) revision. What they heard from project opponents was a mind-numbing word salad of decades-old debunked conspiracy theories about state collusion with the Gas Company and misinformation about the environmental impacts of the restoration project. This article’s author spoke in favor of the agency’s proposed EIR scope during the hearing.

Above: Among other enhancements, Fish and Wildlife proposes to dig out the weedy fill dirt from this 200-acre area south of Fiji Way and replace it with natural wetlands habitat, surrounded by public trails.

Like dogs who caught the car and then didn’t know what to do with it, opponents of the Ballona Wetlands Restoration Project lectured state scientists and planners about the errors of their ways. However, none of the commenters were credible wetlands experts, and few even learned participants in wetlands restoration. Consequently, most of their comments were factually false and parroted familiar fallacies long-peddled by the plaintiffs who are suing the state.

Over 200 coastal wetlands have already been restored in California by the very same means as proposed for Ballona - excavation and grading to remove historical fill dirt. Voters have repeatedly approved bond measures to fund those restorations.

Even Dr. Roy Van de Hoek, a biologist and longtime antagonist of the CDFW, claimed to be an archaeologist before rendering his opinions during the hearing. However, Dr. Van de Hoek is not a Registered Professional Archaeologist with the state. Archaeologists must be tested and registered with their state, owing to sensitivities concerning the locations of cultural artifacts. Van de Hoek was but one of many passionate but uninformed foot soldiers carrying water for those litigating the EIR (see “When the Winners are Really the Losers “).

The commenters aired their scripted and unsubstantiated grievances about the state’s restoration plan one by one, rarely ever mentioning the proposed EIR scope - the purpose of the hearing.

In May, a Superior Court judge ordered CDFW to revise two portions of the 1200+ page EIR, if they chose to do so, and move forward with the Ballona Restoration. CDFW is doing precisely that, and proposes to revise only those EIR sections addressed by the judge.

The judge ruled against project opponents on 24 of 26 issues raised in their court petitions. CDFW will not revise sections of the EIR which the judge upheld.

The Ballona Wetlands Restoration Project will create, enhance and restore nearly 600 acres of natural habitat between Marina Del Rey and the Westchester bluffs.

Above: Rendering of a restored Ballona Wetlands south of Fiji Way

Two hundred acres of fill dirt dumped on wetlands south of Fiji Way during Marina and freeway construction will be dug out and repurposed onsite into modern, vegetated levees. The levees will replace about 1500 feet of obsolete concrete channel of Ballona Creek, allowing water to spread throughout a much larger area during high tides or rainfall runoff floods. The levees will be topped with ten miles of new bike- and footpaths open to the public.

Above: The southern half of Ballona will be enhanced by removing utility roads and fill dirt and restoring full tidal inundation to areas that were historically saltwater wetlands

Comments on the proposed scope of the revised EIR may be sent to CDFW until November 27.

Enjoy your Ballona Wetlands!

Author’s note of affiliations:

Dr. David W. Kay served on the Board of Directors of the non-profit Friends of Ballona Wetlands from 2007 until 2015, and served as Board President in 2012-13. He presently serves on the Board of Ballona Discovery Park in Playa Vista.

From 1984 to 2022, David was employed by Southern California Edison Company, exclusively in the company’s environmental services organizations. His many responsibilities included restoration of the 440-acre San Dieguito Wetlands near Del Mar. He retired in 2022 as Senior Manager for Project Environmental Licensing at the company.

David earned bachelor and masters degrees in biology and a doctorate in environmental science.

David is a staunch advocate for the state of California’s plans to restore the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve.

See Dr. Kay’s Patch contributor profile here.