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Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources Committee
Click here to access the EENR Working Group page.
Background
This committee addresses a number of issues related to the environment including open space, water and air quality.
Open Space
| Located in a valley just below the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, the San Gabriel Valley land is 50% zoned for institutional and open space use. However, most of that open space is included as part of the Angeles National Forest. The rest of the San Gabriel Valley is already 99% built out, leaving little room for new parks. With a state standard of 5 acres of open space for every 1,000 people, a doubling of the park acreage is required to meet this standard. It is imperative that communities in the San Gabriel Valley work together to focus on accommodating open space needs in a built-out urban environment. The San Gabriel & Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy (RMC), which the SGVCOG played a key role in helping to create, has worked with our local communities for open space and habitat preservation and development. In fact, since the COG worked with then State Senator Hilda Solis to create the RMC, almost $50 million in RMC funding over the last five years have gone to SGVCOG member cities to support various open space and habitat projects. |
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Check out current RMC projects in the San Gabriel Valley by clicking here.
Air Quality
As the San Gabriel Valley is located within South Coast Air Basin (one of the most polluted air basins in the nation), air quality within the region is of crucial importance to stakeholders within the Valley. In 2001, the maximum pollutant concentrations (ozone and particulate matter) exceeded federal standards by wide margins. The East San Gabriel Valley, in particular, had high ozone concentrations. The Basin’s severe air pollution problem is a consequence of the combination of emissions from the nation’s second largest urban area and meteorological conditions which are adverse to the dispersion of those emissions. The average wind speed for Los Angeles is the lowest of the nation’s ten largest urban areas. In addition, the summertime maximum mixing height (an index of how well pollutants can be dispersed vertically in the atmosphere) in Southern California averages the lowest in the U.S. The Southern California area is also an area with abundant sunshine, which drives the photochemical reactions which form pollutants such as ozone.
The San Gabriel Valley’s main source of water supply comes from its groundwater basin; in fact, 90% or 280,000 acre-feet of the Valley’s annual water supply come from the basin. The groundwater basin is 167 square miles of surface area, has more than 8 million acre-feet of water, and is pumped from about 200 wells. About 10% of the San Gabriel Valley’s water needs are met by “imported” surface water delivered directly to customers. This imported water also helps in replenishing the groundwater supply. There are three important groundwater basins. The Main San Gabriel Basin is the largest, and is separated from the Raymond Basin to the northwest by the Raymond Fault, which serves as a partial barrier to groundwater flow. The Puente Basin is a shallow basin that underlies the Puente Valley and is tributary to the Main San Gabriel Basin. These three basins are managed separately.
Water in the San Gabriel Valley is an integral component of its history, having been critical in developing the Valley’s agricultural economy. Later, following a postwar boom in industrial development and the release of toxic industrial chemicals into the groundwater system, a number of serious water quality issues surfaced. Significant concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were discovered in the Valley’s groundwater in the late 1970s and remain the main focus of current groundwater cleanup. Other water quality issues involve nitrates, perchlorate, and other emerging contaminants – all with serious public health consequences. Besides contamination, other water supply challenges include: groundwater storage opportunities, infrastructure to maintain water levels, use of recycled water, consumer water conservation, and storm water capture.
Organization
This committee consists of elected and appointed officials from member agencies. Staff members from the Rivers and Mountains Conservancy also serve as ex-officio members.
Chair
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Mary Ann Lutz
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415 S. Ivy Ave.
Monrovia, CA 91016
Phone: (626) 932-5550
Mary Ann Lutz has served as Chair of the SGVCOG Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Committee since 2007. She was first elected to the Monrovia City Council in 2003. She has also served as Monrovia’s representative on the COG Governing Board since 2003. Ms. Lutz currently serves as the Vice Chair of the Regional Water Quality Control Board on appointment by the Governor.
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Vice-Chair
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Denis Bertone
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245 East Bonita Avenue
San Dimas, CA 91773
Phone: (909) 394-6200
Denis Bertone was first elected to serve on the San Dimas City Council in 1998. He has served as San Dimas’s Delegate on the COG’s Governing Board since 1999. As a COG Delegate, he is a member of the Rivers and Mountains Conservancy Board and the Energy and Environment Committee.
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Membership
There are currently four (4) member agencies that participate on the Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Committee. The member agencies and their representative on this committee are as follows:
| Member Agency |
Representative |
| Claremont |
Sam Pedroza |
| Monrovia |
Mary Ann Lutz |
| San Dimas |
Denis Bertone |
| Sierra Madre |
Joseph Mosca |
Meeting Dates & Times
The fourth Wednesday of the month at 10:30 a.m. at the City of Monrovia Corporate Yard Buildling.
Agendas & Minutes
Please click here for the current agenda.
HOT TOPICS
Environmental Funding Opportunities
| Program |
Green Trees for a Golden State & Leaf-it-To-Us Programs |
| Sponsor Agency |
Department of Forestry and Fire Protection |
| Funding Available |
Green Trees: $1.75 million ($7,500 - $100,000 per award); Leaf-it-To-Us: $50,000 ($7,500 per award) |
| Application Procedures |
Concept proposals due December 12th |
| Website |
http://www.fire.ca.gov/resource_mgt/resource_mgt_urbanforestry.php |
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| Program |
Environment Enhancement and Mitigation Program |
| Sponsor Agency |
California Resources Agency |
| Funding Available |
$350,000 per program |
| Application Procedures |
Applications due December 22, 2008 |
| Website |
www.resources.ca.gov/eem/
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| Program |
Proposition 84 Grants: Rivers & Parkways, Urban Streams Restoration |
| Sponsor Agency |
California Resources Agency |
| Funding Available |
Rivers & Parkways: $31 million, Urban Streams Restoration $9 million |
| Application Procedures |
Applications due November 12th |
| Website |
http://www.resources.ca.gov/bonds_riverparkways.html |
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| Program |
Stormwater Grants |
| Sponsor Agency |
State Water Resources Control Board |
| Funding Available |
$82 million |
| Application Procedures |
Schedule to be determined |
| Website |
www.waterboards.ca.gov |
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| Program |
Wildlife Conservation (Natural Community Conservation Plans, Ecosystem Restoration, Forest Conservation) |
| Sponsor Agency |
Wildlife Conservation Board |
| Funding Available |
$25 million |
| Application Procedures |
Accepts applications on an on-going basis |
| Website |
www.web.ca.gov |
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| Program |
Infrastructure State Revolving Fund Program (incl. water supply, flood control, solid waste mgmt, water treatment) |
| Sponsor Agency |
CA Infrastructure & Economic Development Bank |
| Funding Available |
$250,000 - $10 million loans |
| Application Procedures |
ongoing |
| Website |
www.ibank.ca.gov/Programs/infrastructure.html |
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| Program |
Environment and Health |
| Sponsor Agency |
Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation |
| Funding Available |
$5,000 - $600,000 |
| Application Procedures |
Letters of Inquiry accepted at any time |
| Website |
http://cehcf.org/app_info.html |
Solar Technology Presentation
On May 28th, approximately 30 elected officials, city staff members, and local agency representatives attended this very informative presentation by Sue Kately of the California Solar Energy Industries Association. Cities in attendance include: Arcadia, Azusa, Claremont, Covina, Duarte, Glendora, La Canada-Flintridge, Monrovia, Monterey Park, San Dimas, San Gabriel, San Marino, and West Covina. Also in attendance were representatives from the Air Quality Management District, the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts, Metropolitan Water District, Rivers & Mountains Conservancy, Southern California Gas Company, Three Valleys Municipal Water District, and Intergy.
Model Ordinance Collection
Under the direction of the EENR Committee, staff has begun to develop a compendium of model environmental ordinances on a number of topics including: energy efficiency, solar energy, green buildings, water recycling and/or conservation, building materials, trees, recycling, solid waste, open space, and walkability/bikeability. Model ordinances, resolutions, and green city action plans are being collected from cities within the San Gabriel Valley, as well as other jurisdictions in Southern California and beyond for the purpose of facilitating cites' efforts to adopt ordinances that protect our Valley's critical natural resources.
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