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LA receives millions for landfill to park conversion
A rendering of the park from the perspective of Nike Hill, with downtown L.A. off in the distance.
(
Los Angeles County Parks and Recreation
)
Topline:
California's Wildlife Conservation Board approved a $12.5 million grant to help L.A. County convert the Puente Hills landfill into a large park. The money's intended to help restore native chaparral, coastal sage scrub and grassland habitats, in an effort to boost biodiversity in the long degraded area.
Why it matters: Puente Hills was one of the largest landfills in the United States until it was shut down in 2013. It covers 1,365 acres, though only 142 acres will be turned to parkland.
What's next: To help restore native habitat, soil will need to be imported and the project site will need to be graded. Two hundred large oak trees are expected to be planted, alongside native ecosystems like white sage scrub and cactus sage scrub.
Potential hurdles: Money is a big one when talking about the project as a whole, since the funding will only cover a portion of costs. The county will also have to mitigate land movement, as the 150 million pounds of trash settle over time. As the refuse degrades, it'll also produce methane that needs to be piped out from below ground.
The long view: The first phase of the project, which includes the construction of an environmental justice center, is expected to be completed by 2027, according to the Los Angeles County Parks and Recreation Department. The whole project could take 75 years to complete, according to the project's environmental impact report.
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