ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. — Today, Representatives Lou Correa (CA-46) and Young Kim (CA-40) wrote to Lieutenant General William H. Graham, Jr., Commanding General and Chief of Engineers at the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers (Corps), pushing the Corps to issue implementation guidance and immediately disperse funds to the Santiago Creek (Creek) component of the Santa Ana River Mainstem Project (SARMP).
Last year, Correa introduced language modifying the scope and impact of the SARMP in the Water Resources Development Act of 2024 (WRDA). Following House and Senate passage, it was signed into law by the President. The language required the Creek component be separated into the project in two projects, namely the Santa Ana Basins, and the Channel which lies between the I-5 Freeway and the Santa Ana River, and to minimize the impacts on existing trees in the Channel.
“Congress’ intent is unambiguous—the Corps must proceed with the Basins’ work independently from the Channel while drafting a new design for the Channel that is consistent with the language and spirit of WRDA ’24,” they wrote. “[And] [n]eglecting to move forward with the project expeditiously leaves the community vulnerable and could lead to catastrophic impacts on the community.”
The current plan for the Creek, which was selected several decades ago, does not reflect current climate conditions or the needs of the community. The plan would drastically and permanently disrupt the Channel area which has thousands of trees in it, and adjacent to it, on both public and private lands. The trees not only serve as habitat for countless birds, including Bald Eagles, and other wildlife, they form an indispensable noise barrier against the vehicle traffic from the Freeway. Given the lack of green space in the surrounding community, the wooded landscape also provides an important outdoor space for these neighborhoods.
“That is why it is essential to collaborate with the local sponsor, Orange County Public Works, to develop a new plan for the Channel now while [existing] funds remain available,” they added. “The Basins’ work is an appropriate and essential use [the] funds and the Corps can move forward with the work at the Basins immediately. We emphatically urge you to allocate funds immediately to allow the Corps to move forward with the Creek component of SARMP.”
You can read the full text of the letter HERE.
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