Los Angeles beaches may be studied for national park designation

The National Park Service is soliciting public input for a special resource study of parts of the Los Angeles coastline to assess whether those areas could qualify as a national park or other NPS unit; public comments are being accepted through April 6 and a report is expected in 2027.

The National Park Service is asking the public to provide input on whether parts of Los Angeles County's coastline should be evaluated for possible National Park Service designation. Congress approved the Los Angeles Coastal Area Special Resource Study in 2022. The study area runs from Will Rogers State Beach near Santa Monica Bay to Torrance Beach and includes the San Pedro coastline. The agency says the study will gather research and public feedback and then report its findings to Congress. Key details: - The public comment period for the study closes on April 6; the NPS will analyze public feedback alongside its internal research. - The study will evaluate four factors: significance, suitability, feasibility, and the need for NPS management. - The area under review stretches from Will Rogers State Beach to Torrance Beach and includes San Pedro. - The NPS expects to produce a report in 2027 that will address whether the targeted areas are feasible for a national park or another NPS unit. - Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn said she will wait for the study's report and noted it should show pros and cons related to public access and local decision-making. - The National Park Service currently manages 433 units covering more than 85 million acres across all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and U.S. territories. Summary: The study will compile research and public comments to inform Congress whether parts of the Los Angeles coast meet the established criteria for addition to the National Park Service. Officials will review comments after the April 6 deadline and the agency plans to deliver a report in 2027. Any decision to add new park units would require an act of Congress.