The National Park Service (NPS) is inviting public feedback on a proposal to designate Los Angeles County’s famed coastline as a national park. This initiative follows the approval of the “Los Angeles Coastal Area Special Resource Study” by Congress in 2022, which aims to assess the potential for a new national park along this iconic stretch of the Pacific Coast.
The study encompasses a significant portion of the coastline, beginning at Will Rogers State Beach near Santa Monica Bay and extending southward to Torrance Beach. Additionally, it includes the San Pedro coastline within the city limits of Los Angeles. The evaluation will focus on four critical criteria: the area’s significance, its suitability, the feasibility of the project, and the necessity for management by the National Park Service.
According to the NPS, the primary goal of the study is to collect data on selected sites along the Los Angeles coast through comprehensive research and public input, ultimately compiling these findings into a report for Congress, as reported by Fox Los Angeles.
Public comments are being accepted until April 6, after which the National Park Service will assess the gathered feedback alongside its in-depth research to determine the next steps for the project.
A lifeguard tower stands sentinel at Will Rogers State Beach, located north of Santa Monica, California. The area under consideration stretches from this beach down to San Pedro in Los Angeles, and it could potentially be transformed into a national park under the NPS’s stewardship. (Getty Images)
The public comment period closes on April 6, after which the NPS will analyze the feedback alongside their internal research.
The study will produce a report in 2027, which will provide answers on whether the targeted areas are feasible for either a national park or an NPS unit.
“New national park units are typically added to the National Park Service (NPS) by an Act of Congress,” the NPS website states. “However, before Congress decides to create a new park or add land to an existing park, it needs to know whether the area meets established criteria for designation as a national park unit. This evaluation is conducted through a special resource study.”
A distressed seal rests on shore at Will Rogers State Beach. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn, whose district includes the San Pedro coastline, told Fox News Digital that she will wait for the report on the study.
“Los Angeles County’s beaches are among our greatest shared treasures and public assets, and any conversation about their future deserves a thoughtful, fact-based approach,” Hahn said in a statement. “I’m looking forward to seeing the pros and cons that come out of this study and what making our beaches a national park could mean for public access, local decision-making, and our responsibility to protect our beaches for generations to come.”
The NPS manages 433 individual units covering more than 85 million acres in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and U.S. territories, according to the NPS website.
Fox News Digital reached out to the NPS and the Los Angeles County Department of Beaches & Harbors for comment, as well as local environmental groups.
