City Manager

EAST SAN PEDRO BAY ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION STUDY

On January 20, 2016, Mayor Robert Garcia and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers signed the Federal Cost Share Agreement to begin the East San Pedro Bay Ecosystem Restoration Study, which is the first open ocean ecosystem restoration study to use the Army Corps new 3x3x3 feasibility study model. The purpose of the study is to estimate the benefits associated with the restoration of ecosystem habitats as well as to evaluate the impacts of alternatives on offshore and nearshore resources. The final recommendations of the study will form the basis of a plan to restore and improve the aquatic ecosystem structure and function for increased habitat biodiversity within the East San Pedro Bay.

The East San Pedro Bay has long been a topic of discussion since 2005, when City Council Members voted to conduct a reconnaissance study. The City appropriated $100,000 in 2007 to determine whether congressional leaders and the Army Corps had any interest in the East San Pedro Bay. By 2010 the Army Corps had officially determined that there was “federal interest” in moving forward with an ecosystem restoration feasibility study, however, federal budget constraints prevented the Army Corps from receiving federal funding to begin the study. With public interest in the study still strong, in 2013 City Council budgeted $1.5 million in funding and voted to contribute $750,000 to the Army Corps for a portion of federal study costs.

The three-year study will involve stakeholder input and ecosystem restoration evaluations. To get involved, people can sign up for updates at www.longbeach.gov/linkLB; create a user account and select to receive messages from “Bay Ecosystem Study.”

COMMUNITY MEETING

The Army Corps and the City will host community update meetings.  We plan to provide a brief update on the current state of the feasibility study as well as next steps to complete the feasibility report.  Please check the website for future community update meeting times and location.  Thank you. 

BAY ECOSYSTEM STUDY UPDATES

November 25, 2019: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Army Corps) released its draft Integrated Feasibility Report (IFR), including the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and the Environmental Impact Report, for the East San Pedro Bay Ecosystem Restoration Study.

• City of Long Beach Press Release
• Download the report

October 10, 2018: The City of Long Beach presented the updates on the Eat San Pedro Bay Ecosystem Restoration Study that included the six Final Array of Alternatives that will be reviewed within the formal integrated Feasibility Report (IFR).

• Agenda for Community Meeting, October 10, 2018
• ESPB Public Community Meeting Presentation, October 10, 2018

September 24, 2018: Mayor Robert Garcia announced and presented the East San Pedro Bay Ecosystem Restoration Feasibly Study Draft Alternatives.  Public feedback was collected through September 24, 2018 through October 15, 2018 related to Port Navigation relative to the Draft Alternatives and wave modeling. 

• Draft Alternatives Brief, September 10, 2018
• Wave Brief

June 21, 2018: The City of Long Beach provided update on the current statues of the Feasibility Study,  and informed that the upcoming public review process is forthcoming. 

• ESPB Ecosystem Study Update June 21, 2018 Presentation

November 27, 2017: The City of Long Beach provides a brief update on the current state of the Feasibility Study, as well as next steps necessary to reach the Tentatively Selected Plan (TSP) milestone.

• Memo to the City Council, November 21, 2017
• Slide Presentation

October 26, 2016: The Army Corps provides a brief update on the current state of the Feasibility Study, as well as next steps to complete the feasibility report.

• Community Meeting, October 2016
• Agenda for Community Meeting, October 2016

April 7, 2016: The Army Corps explains the plan formulation process, as well as Feasibility Study problems, objectives, opportunities and constraints.

• Guidelines to the Feasibility Study
• Community Meeting, April 2016
• Agenda for Community Meeting, April 2016

January 20, 2016: An amendment to the original Federal Cost Share Agreement was adopted to allow the East San Pedro Bay Ecosystem Restoration Study to begin. 

March 24, 2014: City Manager writes a memo to the Mayor and City Council detailing the latest activities, and includes letters to the Army Corps urging the acceptance of accelerated and contributed funds, as well as to the Navy regarding nomination of this project for the Joint Land Use Study.

• City of Long Beach Memo with attached letters, March 2014 

March 12, 2013: City Council votes to amend the City’s Feasibility Cost Share Agreement with the Army Corps to accelerate a revised local-sponsor amount of $1.5 million; allow the City to contribute $750,000 to fulfill a portion of the Army Corps’ federal cost share; and contribute up to $50,000 in existing authorized local-sponsor funds for re-scoping the East San Pedro Bay Ecosystem Restoration feasibility study.

• City Council Motion, March 2013
• Presentation to Mayor and City Council, March 2013
• Presentation at Community Meeting, June 2013

October 9, 2012: City Council votes to direct the City Manager to begin re-negotiation of the East San Pedro Bay Ecosystem Study.

• City Council Motion, October 2012
• Presentation to Mayor and City Council, October 2012 
• Presentation at Community Meeting, June 2012

February 8, 2012: The Army Corps announces new feasibility study guidelines directing that studies are to cost no more than $3 million, take no more than 3 years to complete, and the core of the study report is to fit into a 3 inch binder.

• The 3x3x3 Model

June 21, 2010: The Army Corps completes the Federal East San Pedro Bay Ecosystem Restoration reconnaissance study and officially determines “federal interest” to continue on to a feasibility study.

• Army Corps Reconnaissance Study, April 2010
• Army Corps Reconnaissance Study Project Management Plan, July 2010 (This PMP is no longer applicable to the current Bay Ecosystem Feasibility Study)
• City of Long Beach Staff Report, June 2010
• Presentation to Mayor and City Council, June 2010 
• Presentation at Community Meeting, May 2011

July 21, 2009: The East San Pedro Bay Ecosystem Restoration reconnaissance study conducted by Moffat & Nichol is completed. The study is given to the Army Corps for review.   

• Long Beach Reconnaissance Study, Executive Summary
• Long Beach Reconnaissance Study, July 2009
• Long Beach Reconnaissance Study Project Management Plan, July 2009 (This PMP is no longer applicable to the current Bay Ecosystem Feasibility Study)
• Presentation to Mayor and City Council, July 2009

July 24, 2007: City Council commissions a reconnaissance study of the East San Pedro Bay and appropriates $100,000.

July 5, 2005: City Council Members bring forth a motion to request federal appropriations for the Army Corps to conduct a reconnaissance study of the East San Pedro Bay.

• City Council Motion, June 2005