L.A. beaches could be managed by the federal government

"While most environmental exchanges between California and the federal government these days are adversarial, one process has been quietly underway for two decades and is just now ripening: an examination of whether the government should manage Los Angeles County beaches. The National Park Service held a first public meeting Wednesday to help determine whether most of the county coastline should be part of a "park unit.""

"At this point, the park service is merely studying the idea, and the study could lead to no action at all. It looks at four questions: Does the area have national significance - historical landmarks or archaeological sites? Does it represent a natural or cultural resource not already represented in the park system? Is it feasible to include, and is it clear that the national park system is the best manager of the area?"

"Most people at the meeting, held over Microsoft Teams, expressed excitement at the potential for conservation in an area stretching from Will Rogers State Beach to Torrance, plus 200 yards inland. The designation would mean no change for the hundreds of private property owners in the zone. One person at the meeting asked if the park service could prevent oil and gas projects, including an upgrade of an underground gas storage facility around the Ballona Creek Ecological Reserve. Some were concerned the federal government would take the land or prevent access."

The National Park Service is studying whether most of Los Angeles County's coastline, from Will Rogers State Beach to Torrance plus 200 yards inland, should become part of a park unit. Park unit management can include ownership with management, management-only, or co-management with a nonprofit. The study examines national significance, representation of natural or cultural resources, feasibility of inclusion, and whether the national park system is the best manager. A first public meeting drew enthusiasm for conservation, questions about oil and gas projects near Ballona Creek, and concerns about potential land acquisition or access restrictions. The study could result in no action.

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