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(March 20, 2008) Los Angeles, CA – Following an extensive hour-long tour of the Los Angeles River today, tour co-host Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-34) thanked the many local leaders who participated in the tour for their interest and commitment to revitalizing the river.
“As participation in today’s tour indicates, we can come together to ensure that the Los Angeles River one day becomes a city landmark that we can all take pride in and enjoy
(March 20, 2008) Downtown Los Angeles, Piper Technical Center at 555 Ramirez Street (near Union Station) – Pictured in the photo from left to right in front of the Black Hawk Helicopter that they rode in during the LA River tour: Gary Lee Moore, City of LA Engineer; Congressman Xavier Becerra (CA-31); Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky (Third District); Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-34); Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa; Los Angeles City Councilman Ed Reyes; Colonel Thomas H. Magness, IV, Los Angeles District Commander, U.S. Army Corps Engineers; Darrell Buxton, Los Angeles District, U.S. Army Corps Engineers; and Trevor Daley, District Director, U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s Office.
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for generations to come,” said Congresswoman Roybal-Allard who has worked for years to secure federal funding for the effort and who represents Downtown and many of the communities along the LA River. “I also want to extend a special thanks to my fellow co-hosts – Col. Thomas H. Magness IV, Los Angeles District Commander for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa and Los Angeles City Councilman Ed Reyes – all of whom have worked so hard to turn this concrete channel into a safe, clean, and green river.”
The congresswoman was also joined by Congressman Xavier Becerra (CA-31) and Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky (Third District) as well as staff members from the City and County of Los Angeles, the LA District of Army Corps, and the offices of Sen. Dianne Feinstein, and Congressmen Adam Schiff (CA-29), Henry Waxman (CA-30) and Brad Sherman (CA-27).
“Today’s tour gave us all a bird’s-eye view of the great plans and opportunities underway to restore the LA River,” Congresswoman Roybal-Allard said. “I look forward to continuing to work with all our stakeholders to make the dream of a renewed and revitalized Los Angeles River a reality.”
Plans for the 31 miles of the river include the development of parks, green space, pedestrian walkways, bridges, housing, and various economic development projects that will create jobs while maintaining the river’s vital function of flood control for the community.
Congresswoman Roybal-Allard led efforts in the U.S. House of Representatives and worked with U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer to secure a $25 million authorization last year for Los Angeles River projects. The authorization ensures the long-term federal commitment to revitalize the blighted areas along the LA River and enables Congress to consider annual federal funding for new construction projects for river restoration and maintenance.
From Congresswoman Roybal-Allard’s seat on the Appropriations Committee, she successfully secured those federal funds annually for LA River revitalization improvements, totaling $4.85 million over the last several years. Current year funding, for example, secured by the congresswoman includes $590,000 for the river’s “Cornfields” site., which will be used to complete a study to promote ecosystem restoration and assist the City of Los Angeles in converting the industrial area into parks or other community uses.
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