The Alliance Advocates for Quick Debris Removal
The Canyon Alliance has lobbied the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to begin debris removal at two burned houses in the Lower Rustic Canyon neighborhood.
In a March 18 letter to Col. Eric Swenson and the broader Corps, which was also sent to Mayor Karen Bass, City Councilmember Traci Park, U.S. Rep. Brad Sherman, and others, the Alliance argued that the sites were small and comparatively simple to clear. In addition, they impact hundreds of residences, a park, businesses, and the elementary school.
The body of the letter is below:
Dear US Army Corps of Engineers,
Collectively, we represent residents of Rustic/Santa Monica Canyon, a geographically distinct part of the Pacific Palisades. We have been uniquely impacted by two 100% burned homes on the edge of the Palisades Fire, now ready to be assigned to contractors for phase 2 debris clean up. We urge the Corps to prioritize assignment for a number of reasons:
Both sites are small and seem to be comparatively simple to clear
Just two properties impact hundreds of mostly homes, an elementary school, a public park and small local business community
Neighbors, especially those with small children, will not return until these sites are cleared
The local public school has lost half of its enrolled students due to health fears due to these sites
Parents are hesitant to enroll their children in activities at our local public park
The LA County Public Health Department has discouraged residents from returning
live near burned sites (within 750 ft/250 yds)
We have attached maps showing the location of the burned homes without our community and key information on both properties to facilitate your decision.
As an impacted community, we respectfully ask that you please prioritize the debris removal of these properties so that we can all return to our homes, park, and school.
