Homeowners, Residents and Community Members Expressed Concerns Over the Project
By LILY TINOCO | Assistant Editor
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power hosted a virtual scoping meeting Wednesday evening, January 18, to discuss a proposed substation in the Marquez Knolls area.
The meeting’s purpose was to provide an overview of the project and the California Environment Quality Act process, as well as solicit comments that will be considered in the preparation of the project’s Environmental Impact Report.
LADWP is proposing to build Distributing Station 104 to “meet the current and expected increase in power demand,” and “provide reliable electricity” to Pacific Palisades.
LADWP Assistant Director Eric Montag said the Palisades is currently being supplied by Distributing Station 29, which is located at the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Via De La Paz, and has served the area since 1936.
“In that time, your community has grown,” Montag said during the meeting. “As your community grows, we have to grow our infrastructure in response.”
Montag explained the Palisades’ “load growth” has been measured through a number of factors, including a surge in home and office/business developments, use of pool pumps and large appliances, and—most recently—electric vehicle charging. Montag said electric vehicles are “one of the bigger drivers” to the Palisades’ load growth.
Two pole-top distributing stations were introduced to the community as a temporary solution, but Montag said the greater issue still needs to be addressed.
He said the Marquez lot was purchased in 1970 with the sole purpose of establishing a future distribution station—plans for a distributing station in the area have been a topic of concern since then.
LADWP had planned to start construction of a second distribution station on the Marquez lot in July 1972 but shelved the project for unknown reasons, according to a 2013 Palisadian-Post article.
DWP officials revisited the idea again decades later, running a site evaluation that earned the Marquez lot an “F” grade in geology and soils.
A subsequent 2012 petition—“Keep Marquez Safe”—called for the community’s support in shutting down the project, shedding light on “the safety, environmental and health hazards” a distributing station next to Marquez Charter Elementary School would pose.
“Keep Marquez Safe” has been reclaimed with an up-to-date petition, launched two months ago. As the Post went to print Tuesday evening, the petition had received nearly 850 signatures of its 1,000 goal.
“Industrial electrical facilities are incompatible with Marquez Knolls, the site’s wildlife habitat, and an elementary school, and its children and educators,” according to the petition. “We, the undersigned, are concerned residents who urge our leaders to act now to protect Marquez Charter Elementary, and to stop LADWP from moving forward with its proposal for an unnecessary and costly industrial facility next to our community school.”
Homeowners, residents and community members echoed these concerns to LADWP representatives during Wednesday’s meeting.
Alex Campbell of the Office of Environmental Health and Safety for Los Angeles Unified School District called in to ensure LADWP takes LAUSD into consideration when reviewing the project.
“I want to make sure that the school, which is adjacent to the site, Marquez Charter Elementary School, will be actively engaged with you guys in this process,” Campbell said, “just to make sure that the children, parents and teachers associated with the school are aware of what’s going on … We’re just concerned of the safety and wellbeing of the students, and we want to make sure we are involved with the process.”
Palisades resident Benjamin Hanelin called in to state his firm opposition to DS-104.
“DWP really should stop this process now,” he said. “It’s been stated that this is the beginning of the process, frankly, it should be the end. We don’t need an EIR to know that this is the worst possible proposal to address DWP’s alleged need. DWP already knows this, because its consultants told DWP as much 10 years ago … DWP needs to stop wasting money, time and resources on an effort that’s doomed to fail.”
Palisadian Danielle Samulon also called in to offer her insight.
“This idea is simply wrong, and I know this because I was actually on a 10-month-long community taskforce that met about this,” she said. “This site, specifically, was found to be the least compatible with the community, not only because it is next to a public school … but also because it is in the highest fire hazard zone possible, and it is also in a very geologically unstable location, as you know from your own records.
“This is a waste of taxpayer money and time, and if you really want it to be put somewhere, do the homework.”
Several attendees reported issues with the virtual format of the meeting and requested an in-person town hall.
LADWP will continue receiving comments through February 1, prior to moving on to the preparation of the EIR. After releasing a draft of the EIR, there will be another opportunity for the community to offer its input—approximately summer 2023.
At the meeting on behalf of the agency, Aiden Leong said LADWP hopes to have the EIR completed by spring 2024.
For more information, visit ladwp.com/ds104.
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