PORT OF LOS ANGELES RELEASES DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT FOR CITY DOCK NO. 1 PROJECT
Project Proposes Prime Waterfront Facility for Marine Research;
Public Comment to Be Accepted Through July 9
SAN PEDRO, Calif. — May 24, 2012 — The Port of Los Angeles has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the City Dock No. 1 Marine Research Center Project, which plans to offer a unique and ideally located site for use as a multi-faceted marine research facility.
The proposed project site is located at Berths 56-60 and Berths 70-71, on the south end of the Port’s Main Channel, in a prime location of the San Pedro section of the L.A. Waterfront. Berths 57-60 were formerly used for warehouse operations, and Berths 70-71 is the previous site of the Westway liquid bulk tank farm.
Facilities envisioned at this site include government and academic marine research laboratories, support activities for research vessels, a research and development park, business incubator for emerging marine environmental companies, and educational support facilities.
Southern California Marine Institute (SCMI), a research facility and nonprofit oceanographic institution currently headquartered on Terminal Island, would relocate and expand its campus to the City Dock location. SCMI is a consortium of 11 public and private colleges and universities in the Southern California and also has affiliations with the community college system and other institutions.
The draft EIR includes a discussion of the proposed project’s environmental impacts and identifies mitigation measures to reduce these impacts as required under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
The public comment and review period is from May 24, to July 9, 2012. During this time, the Port will accept written comments and will host a public meeting on June 12, 6 p.m., at Port of Los Angeles Administration Building, located at 425 S. Palos Verdes Street in San Pedro, to present its findings and provide opportunity for public comment.
A copy of the document is available for public review at the following locations:
- Port of Los Angeles website
- Port of Los Angeles Environmental Management Division, 222 W. 6th Street, 10th Floor, Suite 1080, San Pedro
- L.A. Public Library, San Pedro Branch, 931 South Gaffey Street, San Pedro
- L.A. Public Library, Wilmington Branch, 1300 North Avalon, Wilmington
- L.A. Public Library, Central Branch, 630 West 5th Street, Los Angeles
Comments on the draft EIR must be submitted in writing prior to the end of the 47-day public review period and must be postmarked by July 9, 2012. Please submit written comments to:
Christopher Cannon
Director of Environmental Management
Port of Los Angeles
425 S. Palos Verdes Street
San Pedro, CA 90731
Written comments may also be sent via email to ceqacomments@portla.org. Comments sent via email must include the project title in the subject line, attached to the email in letter format, and include a valid mailing address in the email. Questions regarding this notice or the project should be directed to the Port of Los Angeles Environmental Management Division at (310) 732-7693. For more information, visit www.portoflosangeles.org.
The Port of Los Angeles is America’s premier port and has a strong commitment to developing innovative strategic and sustainable operations that benefit the economy as well as the quality of life for the region and the nation it serves. As the leading seaport in North America in terms of shipping container volume and cargo value, the Port supports more than 830,000 regional jobs and $35 billion in annual wages and tax revenues. The Port of Los Angeles – A cleaner port. A brighter future.