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Assemblywoman Luz Rivas Authors Measure to Reduce Air Pollution by Urging Congress to Protect the Rim of the Valley

For immediate release:

SACRAMENTO – Assemblywoman Luz Rivas (D-Arleta) authored Assembly Joint Resolution (AJR) 18 to urge Congress to enact House Resolution (HR) 1708, authored by the U.S. Representative Adam Schiff (D-Burbank), to add 191,000 acres of the Rim of the Valley Corridor to the Santa Monica Mountain National Recreational Area. AJR 18 passed out of the Assembly Committee on Water, Parks, and Wildlife yesterday with bi-partisan support.

“There are 1,629,450 Angelenos but only 13% of Los Angeles City land is used for parks and recreation. As a world leader in combatting climate change, California must ensure communities like mine do not continue to rank among the cities with the worst air quality in the nation,” said Assemblywoman Luz Rivas. “Everyone deserves to breathe clean air. Enacting HR 1708 will protect green space in a park deficient area, decrease pollutants in the air, and improve the overall public health for all Angelenos for generations to come.”

"The Rim of the Valley is the critical bridge between our urban city centers, suburbs in the Los Angeles basin and the spectacular wilderness that surrounds us – our bill would help protect these lands for generations to come," said Representative Schiff. "As more of this area is developed and open space diminishes, the wildlife it supports is increasingly at risk. Congress must preserve the Rim of the Valley for the next generations, but we must act quickly on a bipartisan basis or this once in a century opportunity will be gone forever."

The Rim of the Valley encompasses the stretch of land along the Los Angeles River and its tributary, the Arroyo Seco in West Pasadena, the Verdugo Mountains above Glendale, the San Rafael Hills, part of the Chantry Flat hiking area above Sierra Madre, Millard Canyon, Simi Hills, and Santa Susana/Conejo Mountains in Ventura County.

Assemblywoman Rivas proudly represents the 39th Assembly District, which includes the communities of Arleta, Lake View Terrace, Granada Hills, Mission Hills, North Hollywood, Pacoima, Sun Valley, Sunland-Tujunga, Sylmar, and San Fernando.

 

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CONTACT:
Judy Yee, Judy.Yee@asm.ca.gov, 916.319.2039