Reyes Rows With L.A. River Boating Program

Bringing people closer to the Los Angeles River has been one of my top goals as we renew the River with major parks, bike and pedestrian trails, and natural habitat preservation. With this in mind, I am happy to report another major step toward this goal.

I recently introduced a motion that would allow non-motorized boating in the L.A. River for the first time. This motion is about creating opportunities for you to experience the L.A. River--a living, breathing ecosystem of water, plant and animals--through kayaking and other non-motorized boating activities. It further brings communities together and creates access to the River for locals, especially those who travel long distances just to recreate in water.

The motion follows the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency’s recent ruling on July 7, 2010 that the Los Angeles River is navigable, and thus entitled to Clean Water Act protections. The following day, I had the honor and pleasure of welcoming the President’s top environmental advisers to my district. They toured the L.A. River as part of President Obama’s Great Outdoors Initiative.

In 2007, the City Council adopted the Los Angeles River Revitalization Master Plan that calls for creating public access to the River through recreation such as water contact activities, as well as parks, pedestrian and bike trails. I encourage you to visit www.lariver.org for more information about our exciting River revitalization.