Discovery center draft environmental impact report released; 60-day comment period open

After two years of delays, the draft environmental impact report on the San Gabriel River Discovery Center was released Friday.

The release of the DEIR also signaled the opening of the 60-day public comment period, which ends on Aug. 3, 2009.

The report, nearly 900 pages in length, is available online at the Discovery Center Authority website.

It's also available in print at three Whittier Narrows area libraries:

• South El Monte Library, 1430 N. Central Ave., South El Monte CA 91733 (Map)
  
• El Monte Public Library, 3224 Tyler Ave., El Monte CA 91731 (Map)
  
• Pico Rivera Public Library, 9001 Mines Ave., Pico Rivera CA 90660 (Map)
  

And the Discovery Center Authority has scheduled two public meetings, at which public comments on the DEIR will be accepted:

• Wednesday, June 24, 7 - 9 p.m.
  
• Saturday, July 18, 2 - 4 p.m.
  

Both meetings will be held at South El Monte High School, 1001 N. Durfee Ave., South El Monte CA. (Map)

If you'd like to comment on the DEIR, but aren't sure how to go about it, Tuesday I'll be posting a brief guide to "Questions to ask when reviewing a draft environmental impact report."

My suggestion is pick a topic (e.g., aesthetics, transportation and traffic, biological resources, cultural resources) that you feel comfortable reviewing or are interested in and just jump in.

But I'll get that guide posted in a couple of days.