L.A. River Rehab Included in Water Infrastructure Funding Bill

LOS ANGELES, CA - Los Angeles-based members of Congress today applauded a House committee's inclusion of a Los Angeles River restoration project in an annual water infrastructure funding bill.

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee opted to include the Los Angeles River Ecosystem project -- which would restore natural habitats to the portions of the 51-mile river -- into the Water Resources and Development Act of 2016.

"For the million-plus Angelenos living along the Los Angeles River's path, inclusion of the L.A. River project in this year's WRDA bill is cause for excitement," said Rep. Xavier Becerra, D-Los Angeles.

"I applaud the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for recognizing the tremendous value a revitalized river would have on our region," Becerra said, adding that "we've come this far in writing a new chapter for the L.A. River and we won't stop until it's done."

The $1.3 billion project proposed by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers would re-introduce natural habitat to several areas along an 11-mile stretch of the river -- between Burbank and downtown Los Angeles -- that now functions primarily as a mostly concrete flood channel.

Becerra was among a dozen members of Congress, all representing Los Angeles-area districts, who signed a letter last week urging the committee to include the project in the bill. The House lawmakers also pointed to an allocation of $375.8 million that was recently included in the Senate's version of the pending WRDA bill.

The WRDA dollars would add to funds proposed in President Barack Obama's budget for "preconstruction" engineering and design.

Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard, D-Los Angeles, said she was "very pleased" the committee "has drafted a bill to authorize the project and start the L.A. River revitalization."

Once the project has begun, there will be opportunities to look into expanding river restoration to the Southeast areas and area closer to the ocean, she said.

Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Burbank, also hailed the proposed WRDA funding, saying that "we are within striking distance, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to see this project through to completion."

--City News Service, photo via Wiki Commons