Presentation by CA State Senator Lou Correa
Mark your calendars and tell your friends. UCR Friends of the Santa Ana River and the Librarians Association of UC Riverside are pleased to sponsor a presentation by California State Senator Lou Correa on his legislation (SB1350) in Sacramento to establish a Santa Ana River Conservancy.
The event will be held July 15th from 4-5pm in Orbach Science Library, Room 240, on the UCR campus.
Implications for the river are many and substantial, especially in the areas of improved stewardship of the biological and ecological assets of the river as well as increased recreational opportunities for IE residents.
Senator Correa’s proposed legislation addresses the following among other issues and concerns:
This bill would establish the Santa Ana River Conservancy Program, to be administered by the conservancy, to address the resource and recreational goals of the Santa Ana River region. The bill would authorize the conservancy to acquire interests and options in real property and would prescribe the management, powers, and duties of the conservancy for purposes of the program.
(a) The Santa Ana River is the largest stream system in southern California, covering an area of about 2,700 square miles in parts of Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside, and Los Angeles Counties.
(b) The Santa Ana River region is home to one of the fastest growing populations in the nation, which is expected to grow from its current five million residents to ten million residents by 2050.
(c) Not all Orange County residents have equal access to green space. The communities with the worst access to parks lie along the river in north Orange County, with low-income levels and high concentrations of people of color.
(d) Despite vast areas of parkland in the region, many communities in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties are park poor, with less than three acres of green space per 1,000 residents. This is particularly true in the communities that were built out before the development boom of the past few decades. As more working class families moved to the area in search of jobs, the population in these older neighborhoods swelled but public resources for parks and recreation were not invested proportionally to the growth.
(e) Portions of the Santa Ana River are considered polluted by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Pollutants include lead and copper from discarded vehicle brake pads, and bacteria from leaking sewers and septic tanks. Pollutants travel the length of the river, exposing nearby communities to harmful chemicals and toxins.
(f) The Santa Ana River is an extraordinary natural resource of statewide significance. The river has been subject to intense development and is in need of restoration, conservation, and enhancement.
(g) The establishment of the Santa Ana River Conservancy Program will provide the state with the necessary structure to plan and implement restoration and preservation projects and recreation opportunities, and enhance the overall condition of the Santa Ana River.
For more info on the bill, see: SB-1390 Santa Ana River Conservancy Program http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201320140SB1390
UCR Map: http://campusmap.ucr.edu/imap/index.html Orbach is on the east side of campus. Parking would be in Lot 13 (permits are $8 and obtainable at the Campus Info Kiosk on Campus Drive, off University Ave)
