The Gateway Cities Council of Governments has voted to approve a Long Beach-sponsored plan to seek $41 million in federal and state funds to treat urban runoff.
Working collaboratively with the 27 cities in the Gateway region, Long Beach officials plan to improve local beaches' water quality by installing full-capture trash devices, antibacterial sponges and automatic retractable screens in all catch basins in the cities leading to the Los Angeles and San Gabriel rivers.
The project will include Avalon on Catalina Island, according to city spokesman Ed Kamlan.
"This funding request is a necessary step as we work towards our goal of cleaner beaches and improving water quality in our city," said Mayor Bob Foster. "Long Beach cannot address our water quality issues alone. We greatly appreciate the support of our upstream neighbors to pursue funding for this project, as much of the runoff is generated beyond Long Beach's borders."
These stormwater treatment devices would be installed over a period of four years, and build upon the $10 million federal Stimulus grant awarded for trash capture devices in the Los Angeles River watershed, Kamlan said.
The spokesman added that the project will install devices at more than 22,000 catch basins. The first phase of the project will cost $12.2 million, and install 3,300 retractable screens and 3,500 filters on the Los Angeles River catch basins, and outfit 100 percent of San Gabriel River catch basins with internal trash screens.
Joe Segura, a mild-mannered reporter for a major metropolitan newspaper, has covered Gotham City, er Long Beach, for 34 years. During his very, very long -- endless -- tenure, he's covered almost every beat, and he was the main writer for BeachWeek, which focused on life and lifestyles of the shoreline communities from downtown Long Beach to the Huntington Beach pier.
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