TITLE
Recommendation to respectfully request City Council: (1) receive supporting documentation into the record and conduct a hearing on the appeal filed by the Coalition for a Safe Environment and the Long Beach Coalition for a Safe Environment of the Board of Harbor Commissioners' certification of the Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) for the Gerald Desmond Bridge Replacement Project, which appeal was filed pursuant to Long Beach Municipal Code Section 21.21.507; and (2) deny the appeal and uphold the Board of Harbor Commissioners' certification of the FEIR for the Project, and adopt resolution.
DISCUSSION
A. The Board of Harbor Commissioners Action Being Appealed.
On August 9, 2010, the Harbor Commission unanimously adopted Resolution No. HD-2576 (Attachment 3), wherein it certified the FEIR as fully compliant with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (Attachment 2). The Commission took that action at the conclusion of a public hearing during which the Harbor Department Staff gave an extensive presentation on the Project and the FEIR (Attachment 4), and then answered a variety of questions regarding air quality, the San Pedro Bay Ports Clean Air Action Plan (CAAP), greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), traffic issues and impacts, bridge configuration, seismic issues, and the public review process. Following the Staff presentation, a total of 22 public speakers presented testimony during the public input portion of the hearing; 17 spoke in favor of the Project, four spoke in opposition to at least some aspect of the Project or asked that the matter be continued, and one did not object to the Project, but encouraged the Port to move forward expeditiously with its school, healthcare, and GHG grant programs. The Project will fund those programs in the amount of $2.4 million. During the hearing, the Commissioners asked numerous questions and discussed key issues. A copy of the full transcript of that meeting is Attachment 5 to this report. The C...
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