Los Angeles Basin Contaminated Sediments Task Force

Summary of the Implementation Committee Meeting
August 17, 1999

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Attendees:

Michael Lyons, Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board
Terri Ely, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers/Regulatory
Lauma Jurkevics, California Coastal Commission
Bill Paznokas, California Department of Fish and Game
Stacey Crouch, Port of Long Beach
Ralph Appy, Port of Los Angeles

Strategy Adoption Process Report

At the July Task Force meeting, Michael Lyons provided a brief overview of the July version of the draft Adoption of Long-Term Management Strategy report. In addition, electronic copies of the report were sent to regular participants of the Task Force. Comments on this report are due to Michael by August 31st so the report can be finalized.

So far, we received comments from Larry Smith (now with the Corps’ Environmental section). The committee members discussed his comments on the CEQA issue and its implication in adopting a sediment management strategy. Members believed that if the strategy were to serve as a guideline, then CEQA compliance would come into play when the details are defined and the strategy gets implemented. Currently, the legal section of the Coastal Commission is reviewing this aspect of the report. Larry had also indicated that designating a regional confined aquatic disposal site within a one- to two-year time period was "overly optimistic." Members disagreed if one were to include all the studies and environmental documents that already have been completed on this issue. Larry also alerted us to the fact that the Corps is preparing two programmatic EISs: one for a Dredge Material Management Plan; another for a Sediment Control Plan. No one was aware of these two plans but thought they might be related to the Corps’ work in Marina del Rey and Ballona Creek watershed.

There were questions about the section addressing Port Master Plans (PMPs) and the Local Coastal Program (LCP) being implemented by the local agencies. One concern was the liability of having those agencies amend the PMPs and LCP to include the strategy. But a positive side would be to streamline the permitting process if the strategy were included in the PMPs and LCP.

A final report will be submitted to the Task Force at the September meeting. Ralph Appy will develop a bar chart to include in the report.

Streamlining Report

Lauma Jurkevics provided the members with the 8/17/99 version of the streamlining report. This latest report included a section on the functions and responsibilities of the three resource agencies (CDFG, USFWS, and NMFS). Members redefined the structure of the report, added another solution addressing the PMP/LCP process, identified solutions that they could recommend to the Task Force, and identified unresolved issues requiring guidance from the Task Force. Lauma revised the report (8/18/99 version) and sent an electronic copy to the members for review and comment – due 8/20. Once she receives comments, a final draft will be prepared for the September Task Force meeting. With regards to a flow chart that identifies the streamlined process, the members chose to leave that out of the report until we determine its usefulness.

Funding

Corps’ $400,000 request (C-MANC supported): Dean Smith (LA County Beaches and Harbors) is in Washington, DC to get an update on federal funding, including the Water Resources Development Act, which he indicated got approved for 1999. Lauma passed out a July 15th news release from US Representative Stephen Horn. It appears he has "secured $100,000 in the bill for the Los Angeles District of the Corps of Engineers for its participation in the regional Contaminated Sediment Disposal Investigation, which will devise a strategy for the management of contaminated sediment and find safe disposal locations for it." This funding may represent part of the $400,000 request but we don’t know. The news release also indicated that the "Energy and Water Appropriations bill must win approval in the full Appropriations Committee before going to the House floor for consideration."

NOAA funding: As mentioned in the last meeting, the Lands Legacy Initiative did not get much funding. This would have been the funding to pursue for coastal dredging, restoration, and beneficial re-use projects. However, $1 million was given to the Clean Water Initiative for nonpoint pollution control (although $6 million was requested). Even though this money is available nationwide, we should consider whether it would be worth applying for it.

Other funding: Ralph indicated that the ports now have to compete with sewer projects because the funding was put into one pot. On another issue, Michael mentioned that the Regional Board is pursuing a settlement, which could serve as a source of Task Force funding. At our next meeting, we need to determine what our role should be regarding funding.

Workplan

We need to revisit our workplan and goals at our next meeting. The current workplan is dependent on the actions of the other committees. However, the other committees may not have the products ready for us to continue our work. So we need to re-evaluate our next steps. Meanwhile, we have completed the product identified on page 7 of the Legislative Report: "The Implementation Committee will review the existing regulatory process for approving dredging projects and develop preliminary recommendations for streamlining this process."

Next meeting

October 14, 1999 - 10:00 am – noon, Coastal Commission office (Long Beach)


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