L.A. River Programs to Begin Tonight
The secretary of California’s Resources Agency and the local head of the federal Environmental Protection Agency will speak tonight at Occidental College to launch a yearlong series of meetings to explore the past, present and the future of the Los Angeles River.
The meeting, featuring Resources Secretary Mary Nichols and EPA Regional Administrator Felicia Marcus--is open to the public and begins at 7 p.m. in the Alumni Auditorium at Occidental’s Johnson Hall.
The series, co-sponsored by Occidental, Friends of the Los Angeles River and other groups, comes at a time when Gov. Gray Davis is considering signing into a law a bill, authored by Sen. Tom Hayden (D-Los Angeles), that would create a restoration and conservation commission for the entire river, SB 754.
Davis is also considering bills by Sen. Hilda Solis (D-La Puente) and Assemblywoman Sally Havice (D-Cerritos) to create a conservancy commission for the river’s lower portion, SB 216 and AB 1355.
Although Nichols’ spokesman said the agency has taken no position on the bills, they are likely to draw attention during tonight’s meeting.
Among the river-related events scheduled during October are sessions on watershed management, a walking tour of Atwater Village and the Heron Gate, and a panel discussion on the river’s history.
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