Mission Statement:
"To actively support and promote the establishment of permanent
community-owned open spaces in the South Bay. To restore natural
habitats; implement appropriate green energy production; free
public access; and multi-use recreational sites. To advocate for
ongoing financial support. To create public appreciation and awareness
through education and communication with the community, stakeholders,
officials and other representatives."
On March 25th, the Executive Committee
of the Angeles Chapter voted unanimously to create the South
Bay Open Spaces task force. This task force was formed as a
result of two Sierra Club activists in the PV/South Bay Group
who have worked doggedly over the last 5+ years to restore blighted
lands in their neighborhood for open space. Following is a brief
description of their particular projects, but the formation
of the task force is in recognition of the needs for open space
in what has become one of the most densely populated areas on
the entire California coast, and also one of the most park poor.
The two main projects that initiated the formation of the
South Bay Open Spaces task force are Heart Park and the Palos
Verdes Landfill.
The "Heart Park" vision is to convert the aging AES
power plant on the coast in Redondo Beach to a restored wetland
and open space, with some commercial uses as necessary to provide
ongoing funding for park maintenance.
Like all the big projects such as Ballona Wetlands and Ahmanson
Ranch, there is a long complicated history that has brought
us to this stage of the struggle to restore this important piece
of our coastline.
Originally, this unique salt marsh/wetland was a thriving area
for the native Tongva Indians. They flourished for thousands
of years due to the abundance of salt, fresh water, sea life,
and local vegetation and wildlife. They were routed in the 19th
century when the European and Spanish settlers proceeded to
set up a salt works company at this site, then a power plant,
then residential settlements that eventually became the most
densely populated area on the California coast, over 13,000
residents per square mile.
Today there is a large (50 acres) power plant that is antiquated
and rarely operates. The power lines that transmit the occasional
generation cover approximately 150 acres of land in Torrance
and Redondo that could be part of an urban greening project
stretching all the way to the coast from several miles inland.
The opportunity to bring open space to this densely populated,
park poor area is magnificent, but will require political leadership
that is still emerging, and continued pressure from community
groups like the Sierra Club.
The second project that will greatly benefit from the formation
of this new task force is the Palos Verdes landfill. Situated
in the city of Rolling Hills Estates, this 173-acre parcel was
the site of a waste dump for almost 30 years.
This property was operational from 1952-1980. Under maintenance
of the owner, the Los Angeles County Sanitation District, the
Cal/EPA Department of Toxic Substance Control is designated
the oversight agency for this landfill. The landfill uses a
gas extraction system with pipelines stretching the perimeter
of the field. The landfill is situated in a very densely populated
area today, with homes built as close as six feet away. There
are 16 schools in a two-mile radius. Today this area is used
for minimal recreational use.
Located in an historic agricultural area with dairy and strawberry
farms, this was once rolling fields, known as the ‘Ten
Hills’ with a lake noted on the USGS 1954 map. This property
was mined leaving gaping holes underground as well as deep pits,
and later became a landfill accepting both liquid and solid
hazardous wastes. This type of co-disposal site is not allowed
under today’s EPA guidelines.
Taking advantage of the methane gases formed within the landfill
in the late 1970’s, the NuFuel/Getty Corporation
developed the first ever gas recovery system on the northeast
edge of the landfill and sold the gas to Southern CA Gas Company.
In 1988 the Los Angeles County Sanitation District opened the
gas to energy center selling electricity to the Edison Company.
Today there are centers such as these around the U.S. However,
new and better technology has been developed such as micro turbines,
and some landfills, such as Puente Hills, are creating CNG or
compressed natural gas to power cars. One of our goals is to
incorporate a green energy source on the Palos Verdes Landfill
that would enhance the electricity sold to Edison as well as
promote the Cool Cities Campaign.
The formation of this new task will bring a stronger focus
on the need to re-size the energy recovery process, instead
of simply flaring it to the atmosphere, which is currently being
proposed. The South Bay Open Space task force also serves to
strengthen our resolve to restore this whole area for passive
and recreational purposes, permanently.
Many thanks to the Angeles Chapter for recognizing the important
opportunities these two projects represent for the South Bay. |