(May 21, 2005) -- LB Councilman Frank Colonna has been unanimously re-elected chair of the San Gabriel & Lower Los Angeles Rivers & Mountains Conservancy (RMC).

Councilman Colonna, first elected chair in 2001, has overseen allocation of over $50 million in Prop 40 & 50 funds for 97 L.A. and OC projects, plus $20 million from CA's Resources Agency for projects within the conservancy's eastern L.A. County & western OC territory.

For LB, that meant over $7 million for projects including the Aquarium of the Pacific's education center expansion and watershed exhibit fountain, plus funds for the El Dorado Park Nature Center and El Dorado wetlands study.

"The RMC is leading the state in natural habitat and open space preservation," said Colonna in a written release. "We are protecting our environment and working to restore our native wetlands," he added.

Created by the state legislature in 1999, the RMC is one of eight CA conservancies. Its mission is to preserve open space and habitat for low-impact recreation and educational uses, wildlife habitat restoration and protection and watershed improvements.