The Design Advocate: Los Angeles River Public Access Bill

SB 1201 Los Angeles River Access Bill

Heads to the Governor's Desk!

Guided Kayak Tour in Sepulveda Basin

(Photo courtesy Paddle the LA River Program)

Great news! On Monday, SB 1201, FoLAR's Los Angeles River Expanded Public Access Bill, passed the State Assembly. Soon, it is expected to arrive at Governor Brown's desk for his signature. The bill, which was written by FoLAR with the help of UCLA's Environmental Law Clinic, will widen public access to the river and broaden the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works' 100-year-old mission of flood and stormwater management to include, for the first time, education and recreation.

The success of SB 1201 is the direct result of the steadfast commitment to the river of State Senator Kevin de León, who beat back attempts to water down the bill and convinced the City of Long Beach to drop its opposition. San Fernando Valley Assemblymember Bob Blumenfield "jockeyed" the bill across the Assembly floor. The amendments, de León noted, "only codified the status quo. And the status quo is not good enough."

October 2011 Los Angeles River Joint Hearing in Studio City with State Senator Kevin de León, State Senator Fran Pavley, Assemblymember Felipe Fuentes and Assemblymember Bob Blumenfield

(Photo courtesy of Senator Pavley's Office)

For 25 years, Friends of the Los Angeles River has been fighting the status quo, working to create a swimmable, fishable, boatable Los Angeles River, a Los Angeles River greenway from the mountains to the sea. SB 1201 has taken hundreds of man and woman hours to accomplish, and we could not have done it without your ongoing support. Write a letter to Governor Brown urging him to sign the L.A. River Expanded Public Access Bill. Then send a very generous donation to FoLAR. FoLAR has always been the voice of the river. Today, our voices have been heard.

Thank you for your support,