Letters to the Editor: Save the Ballona wetlands by stopping the state’s ‘restoration’ plan

To the editor: As far as I’m concerned, Marcia Hanscom of the Ballona Wetlands Institute has the last word about the outcome of redevelopment of our remaining wetlands. She called the state plan for restoring the wetlands “like a coastal Disneyland project designed for humans, not the wildlife clinging to existence there.”

As a concerned educator and longtime resident of the area, I care deeply for our natural world. Parking structures and encroaching bike paths pale in importance as we ponder our current climate and environmental issues. As educators and community elders, we hold the task of seeing the long view and teaching future generations to safeguard our planet.

Marina del Rey and the area known as Playa Vista will survive a hands-off approach to the Ballona wetlands. In contrast, the natural life in the wetlands will not survive greater encroachment from further development.

Wendy Zacuto, Playa del Rey

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To the editor: The elephant in the living room at the Ballona wetlands is the dangerous gas storage field that lies beneath the surface. If we are serious about minimizing climate change impacts, this field must be shut down — now.

Instead, the proposed state project would enable the Southern California Gas Co. to continue operations for decades to come, would allow the addition of new fossil fuel infrastructure to the coast, and also would release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere from bulldozing and destroying thousands of trees and acres of grasslands and wetlands.

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s intervention is needed to stop this crazy climate-harming plan.

Molly Basler, Los Angeles

The writer is the wetlands committee chair for the L.A. chapter of the Climate Reality Project.