Issa Applauds Coastal Commission Approval of The San Luis Rey Flood Control Project

Press Release

Issa Applauds Coastal Commission Approval of The San Luis Rey Flood Control Project

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Vista) hailed a unanimous vote by the California Costal Commission earlier today that will allow the Army Corps of Engineers to move forward with plans to operate and maintain the San Luis Rey River Flood Control Project. The Costal Commission's approval of the consistency determination for vegetation and sediment management submitted by the Army Corps of Engineers will allow work on the project to begin once permits and approvals are issued by the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board and the National Marine Fisheries Service. The California Department of Fish and Game issued a permit for the project on Friday, February 1, 2008 and completed a necessary agreement with the city of Oceanside earlier this week.

Over the past two months, Congressman Issa and Assemblyman Martin Garrick hosted a flurry of meetings and conference calls with participants from each of the involved state and federal agencies to resolve the outstanding areas of disagreement between regulatory officials. Staff members from the offices of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Senators Mark Wyland and Dennis Hollingsworth, and Assemblywoman Mimi Walters also participated.

"After numerous consultations, I am pleased that we have overcome the most significant obstacles that have prevented the clearing of overgrown vegetation in the San Luis Rey River and denied residents of Oceanside the flood protection this project is designed to provide," said Issa. "Collaborative efforts by the Army Corps of Engineers, the California Department of Fish and Game, the National Marine Fishery Services, the City of Oceanside, and other state and federal agencies have moved the project past several regulatory obstacles, and we anticipate the remaining permits will be issued in the coming weeks."

The Corps has established a tight schedule to complete the needed regulatory work on the project in time to begin clearing brush from the project area around the first of March. "We will continue to monitor their progress and react quickly to any delay that arises," Issa pledged.

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