Tujunga Wash & Foothills

Arleta / Hansen Dam / Kagel Canyon / Lake View Terrace / La Tuna Canyon / Pacoima / Shadow Hills / Sunland / Sun Valley / Tujunga

Hot Topics - Army Corps Reform

What is the Water Resources Development Act and why do citizens urgently need to tell their elected representatives not to let this bill move forward without serious Corps Reform provisions..?

WRDA fact sheet 1 - WRDA does NOT currently contain real Corps Reform

WRDA fact sheet 2 - Vitter Provision wipes out 100 years of wetland & river protections

WRDA fact sheet 3 - adds BILLIONS in Boondoggles (oink! oink!)

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News 2005-04-28 "Discovery of Ivory-Billed Woodpecker" - National Wildlife Federation release (includes role of Corps Reform in saving that habitat area from the ACOE)

News 2005-04-28 "Woodpecker Thought to be Extinct is Found" - Los Angeles Times

News 2005-04-13 "The Untouchable Corps" - New York Times editorial

News 2005-02-07 "President's Army Corps Budget has Good News for Taxpayers and the Environment"  National Wildlife Federation release

News 2005-01-27 Corps Reform Network appoints TWC&S Executive Director to National Steering Committee - TWC release

 

Note: all files are PDF's that require Acrobat Reader, which can be downloaded for free from Adobe.com

  

We're not the only ones having problems with the Army Corps -- it's nationwide. 

Nationwide problems require nationwide solutions, so the Tujunga Watershed C&S has joined the Corps Reform Network

 
 
 (email sent March 10, 2004)

Dear Friends and Neighbors of Hansen Dam and the Tujungas,

Experience at Hansen Dam opened our eyes to the fact that we are not alone -- all across America, communities have banded together to save their precious environmental resources from needlessly destructive and economically wasteful Army Corps projects. Last year, the Tujunga Watershed Council and Stakeholders joined a nation-wide Network of environmental and conservation organizations dedicated to improving the Army Corps' methods of operation, and to ensuring better oversight of how the Corps spends tax payer dollars. Last month, the TWC&S co-signed a letter (PDF) sent to members of the US Senate, outlining nation-wide concerns.

Today, an important new Corps reform bill was introduced by Senators Feingold, McCain and Daschle (see press release, below, and attached file). This is a great day for those who care about the environment or fiscal responsiblity (or both).

Today's bill comes on the heels of a progression of events over the past few years, and a whole lot of hard work and long hours put in by citizen volunteers & watchdogs. Our community played a role in this drama -- thanks to concerns expressed by citizens of the Northeast San Fernando Valley, our message achieved national attention last November, when Senator Dianne Feinstein issued a sternly worded message to the Army Corps, asking them to do the right thing at Hansen Dam (thank you again, Senator Feinstein!).

Today's bill is VERY exciting news. It demonstrates that a growing chorus of informed, determined citizens are starting to have serious effect on this particular matter of national policy.

We would like to thank (again) everyone who has participated in this effort by responding to our "action alerts." Together, we have made (and will continue to make) a difference. Thank you!

 
 ============   Feingold-McCain-Daschle Bill

Would Protect the Environment, Save Tax Dollars

(Washington, DC) Today, Senators Russ Feingold (D-WI), John McCain (R-AZ), and Tom Daschle (D-SD) are introducing key legislation to protect the environment and curb the waste of tax dollars. The Corps of Engineers Modernization and Improvement Act of 2004 would overhaul the flawed process that the Corps of Engineers uses to plan and build the nation's water projects.

"The Corps has wasted millions of dollars on projects that destroy the environment and fail to produce promised economic benefits," said Melissa Samet, Senior Director of Water Resources. "The introduction of today's legislation is yet another example of the bold leadership of Senators Feingold, McCain, and Daschle in protecting taxpayers and the environment. Their proven track record in taking on politically charged issues bodes well for reforming an agency whose budget is driven by the number of projects it delivers to Congress."

Over the past four years, the Corps has been rocked by scandal and a steady stream of studies exposing efforts to justify proposals to Congress with severely flawed environmental and economic analyses, and the Corps' failure to replace wildlife habitat harmed by its projects.

"The legislation being introduced today is the key to regaining control of an agency that persists in promoting outdated projects that wreak havoc on the nation's rivers and wetlands," said Melissa Samet, Senior Director, Water Resources. "We urge Congress to respond to America's call for healthy waters and quickly send a Corps reform bill to the President's desk."

The Corps has a backlog of projects that will take more than $58 billion in taxpayer dollars to complete. And it proposes more projects every two years. Two independent watchdogs, the National Academy of Sciences and the U.S. Army Inspector General, have determined that the agency has a deep-seated bias for large construction projects, does not adequately protect the environment, and has on at least one occasion deliberately manipulated data to deceive Congress about the costs and benefits of a proposed project.

The bill being introduced today would force the Corps to reevaluate outdated projects, propose new projects only if they are truly in the national interest and protect the environment, and replace habitat destroyed by those projects it does build. The bill would:

* Require independent review of Corps project and environmental studies to ensure they are based on sound science and economics;

* Require the Corps to fully mitigate the environmental damage caused by projects in a timely manner;

* Update the Corps' outdated planning guidelines to account for modern environmental laws and policies and significant advances in economics;

* Ensure that Corps projects produce real economic and environmental returns to the nation;

* Reduce the Corps' $58 billion construction backlog, ensuring that environmentally and economically sound projects will not be delayed while construction proceeds on projects that do not serve the national interest; and

* Implement sound cost-sharing requirements to help ensure that Corps projects are truly needed.

This much needed, common sense bill is strongly supported by the Corps Reform Network, which represents more than 100 local, state, and national conservation and taxpayer groups. More than 80 members of the Corps Reform Network recently wrote Congress urging passage of comprehensive Corps reform legislation.

The Senate should pass the Feingold-McCain-Daschle bill as part of the next Water Resources Development Act ("WRDA"), over which it will begin debate shortly. WRDA is biannual legislation that authorizes new Corps studies, projects, and policy changes.

 

David vs. Goliath

Complete Story - Part 1  (Newsletter dated 11/7/03)

"Army Corps ordered to remove debris from Hansen Dam Lakes"     YES!!!

It happened yesterday, November 6, 2003, at a meeting of the California State Regional Water Quality Control Board (associated with the California Environmental Protection Agency).

Sounds great, doesn't it? It IS great. This event marks a fabulous victory for our community. We all deserve MANY pats on the back. Pat yourself on the back if...

  • you attended "Save the Lakes" meetings back in June-July-August-Sept 2002
  • you made phones calls to elected officials on behalf of Hansen Dam
  • you wrote letters for same purpose (you get EXTRA PATS for making that extra effort & postage)
  • you've tried to attend at least one of the Hansen Dam Parks Advisory Board meetings (inspite of the discouragement and disrespect of public input)
  • you regularly attend Foothill Trails District Neighborhood Council meetings (where REAL Hansen Dam issues are freely and openly discussed)
  • you contacted multiple members of the Los Angeles City Council in Feb/March and thus helped inspire their landmark vote on March 19, 2003
  • you visit the Tujunga Watershed Council & Stakeholders website to keep yourself up to date by viewing the documents, photos and news stories about Hansen Dam, and....
  • (BONUS POINTS) you've become a "Friend of the Tujunga Watershed" and thus are helping provide the resources to see this fight through to total victory (we're not there yet, folks, but we're making incredible progress)

Yes, yesterday's decision against the Army Corps was a victory shared by our entire community. I'm so proud to call this place home! I always loved the area for its rugged beauty and physical challenges, but thanks to events of the past year, I've come to love it for the admirable grit of its staunchly individualistic citizens (most of us, anyhow). It's a story as old as civilization, but it keeps repeating itself. When will city people learn...DON'T GET THE HILL FOLKS RILED...?

But... here's the bad news. The Army Corps has a long history of arrogantly defying anyone, anytime, anywhere. So just because the City Council told them to clean out the lakes, and just because the City Attorney told them to clean out the lakes, and just because the State regulatory agency told them to clean out the lakes, don't expect action soon. BUT THE VERY FACT THAT WE GOT THE CASE THIS FAR IS NOTHING LESS THAN A * M * A * Z * I * N * G ! ! !

Sorry the website hasn't been updated for a couple weeks, but it's been a busy time. More news (the complete story) will soon follow. Saturday's Daily News may also have an article.

Enjoy your weekend!                                                                # # #

Story Part 2  (Newsletter dated 11/10/03)

First, thank you to everyone who sent so many enthusiastic emails in response to the News Flash sent out on Friday night. Yes, it is great news, and we all deserve to take a moment to savor it.

I promised in the Friday night email to tell the complete story, and for the sake of trying to keep it all in manageable pieces, I’m doing it in installments. Also, for the sake of not overloading anyone’s email inbox, I’m not including attachments. Please refer to our website (www.tujungawatershed.org) for documents mentioned.

August 2003 -- 17 months have passed since the first dumping was documented in Feb 2002 at the Little Lake, 14 months since the Community rose up in organized protest, yet no real action or progress appears to have occured, beyond the Corps' continued dismissal & belittlement of the community's concerns (and removal of "The Pimple").   Something needs to be done to move things along...

2003 8/27 Tujunga Watershed Council letter to Colonel Thompson -- this was the cover letter on a thick packet of photos and documentation. (Because it doesn't exist in an easy electronic format, the "enclosure" packet per se isn't attached, but nearly all of the material mentioned was already posted on the website.)  The above letter was cc'd to dozens of elected officials, environmental agencies, citizen advocacy groups, newspapers & other press -- nation wide (the ripples and effects of that letter are still spreading out and bringing in fresh news, responses, and offers of assistance or collaboration.)

In early September, we were informed that the TWC&S was invited to attend the Regional Water Quality Control Board meeting on October 2, 2003, to present our case. The reason? Because the Army Corps was applying for a retro-active permit for the dumping it did in Hansen Dam in 2002.

The agenda for that meeting was split into three equal parts -- first a Water Board staff summary, then the Army Corps' explanation of why they should be given the retroactive permit, and third... our little band of citizen activists, armed only with the truth..! Four of us (Cile, Fritz, Jose, Deb) took time off from work or other obligations to carpool out to Simi Valley for the meeting, arriving early in the morning. We didn’t know when our agenda item would be called, so we came prepared to spend the day. Also in attendance was a large group sent by the Corps, led by a tall Lt. Colonel in uniform with a chest full of medals - that kind of thing can be very intimidating..!

The WB staff summary of the Hansen Dam dumping issue (page 3-9 of transcript) was delivered in measured, straight-forward manner. Then the Lt. Colonel gave the Army Corps side (page 10-22 of the transcript), full of the kind of language we citizens of Hansen Dam have grown used to hearing over the past year and a half -- euphemisms like "The first fill incident occurred in…" (note the use of passive voice, which cleanses the incident of responsiblity.)

To listen to the Lt. Colonel’s explanation, you wouldn’t think anything untowards had happened at Hansen Dam, and you wouldn’t know what the fuss was about. Then came our presentation, accompanied by a thick packet of color photos. Suddenly, the room woke up..! After our presentation (page 22-29 of the transcript) was finished, CD2 staffer Ros Stewart read a terrific statement (transcript page 29-31) from the office of LA City Councilmember Wendy Greuel. (We will never forget that the lion-hearted Wendy Greuel has given us her total support, right from the get-go. Not because it was "politically expedient" but because it was the right thing to do!) Then Mary Decker of the Los Angeles City Attorney’s office  read an equally strong statement (transcript page 31-32). Then the Board started asking follow-up questions, mostly of the Colonel.

The Board came down HARD on the Army Corps. You can get a good picture of the occasion by reading the Foothill Sentinel’s article as well as the statements from CD2 and the City Attorney’s office that were read into the record. But the best stuff to read is the transcript itself (page 36 to end).   It’s full of jewels. The session ended with a request to the Army Corps that they return on November 6 ready to get down to business.

It’s worth noting that our agenda item had originally been assigned a total of 15 minutes, but so absorbed did everyone become in this saga that our session lasted well over an hour, perhaps over 90 minutes. And yet, afterwards, various other members of the audience who had nothing to do with our agenda item went out of their way to thank us for the entertainment value…! (Apparently our little story of illegal dumping, citizen outcry and a federal agency caught breaking the law injected welcome drama into an otherwise dry day.)

During the weeks following 10/2, we told this story to various groups within our community and it was gratifying to see how cheered people were by the good news. Meanwhile, we wrote a thank-you letter to the RWQCB and prepared ourselves for the November 6 "re-match"….

That’s all for this email - stay tuned for Part 3...         #  #  #

 
 

Follow-up Meeting

2003 11/6 -- Regional Water Quality Control Board - Follow-up Workshop: 2003 11/6 CRWQCB Agenda (we are Item #13)

WB staff summarize the situation to date in a Powerpoint presentation (Note -- some of the information included is based upon figures given by the Army Corps and may require correction upon independent investigation): WB Powerpoint Summary

The City Attorney's office has been very busy perusing all related documentation, etc, and now issues a well-researched response to the Army Corps: 2003 11/6 City Attorney Statement

Newspaper coverage is published a day late, but it was worth the wait: 2003 11/8 Daily News article

 

 
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