North Coast Wilderness bill signed - new bill introduced for Riverside County wild lands

On Oct. 17 President Bush signed into law the North Coast Wild Heritage Wilderness Act authored by Sen. Barbara Boxer and Rep. Mike Thompson. Also supported by Sen. Feinstein, this bill protects about 275,000 acres of new wilderness including the incomparable King Range Wilderness on California's wild Lost Coast.

The legislation covers some of the most beautiful and majestic lands in five Northern California counties - Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, and Napa. In a remarkable show of local support, 21 of the 24 county supervisors in the five counties encompassed by H.R. 233/S. 128 are on record in favor of the bill. Both Republicans and Democrats have expressed support for the bill, including Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The bill designates key landscapes as wilderness and protects segments of the Black Butte River as a wild and scenic river. Areas of special value include the King Range, which includes the longest stretch of undeveloped coastline in the contiguous United States, and the Cedar Roughs proposed wilderness, which shelters the largest grove in the world of the rare Sargent cypress. Endangered and threatened species whose habitats would be protected by the bill include the bald eagle, California brown pelican, steelhead trout, coho salmon, northern spotted owl, and Roosevelt elk.

The bill is a remarkable achievement that took many years of hard work by Sierra Club and other activists on the North Coast. A huge thank you to all those Redwood Chapter volunteers, and volunteers from all around the state, dedicated to protecting our remaining roadless lands in California, as well as preserving wild and free-flowing rivers. This work was a great coalition effort coordinated through the California Wild Heritage Campaign, and involved hard work as well from the California Wilderness Coalition, Friends of the River, Wilderness Society, and scores of local groups on the North Coast and around the state. It takes a village, as the saying goes, and the same is true of passing wilderness legislation. It's a long, tough road, and with everyone pitching in we can cross the finish line as we have today.

Southern California mountains and deserts

Just days earlier, on Oct. 9, Rep. Mary Bono introduced the California Desert and Mountain Heritage Act, H.R. 6270, which would protect more than 125,000 acres of wild public lands in her Riverside County district.

The bill would protect many of Riverside County's most beautiful and ecologically important wild public lands and rivers for future generations to enjoy. It would designate six areas in Riverside County as wilderness: Cahuilla Mountain Wilderness, Beauty Mountain Wilderness, Agua Tibia Wilderness, South Fork San Jacinto Wilderness, Santa Rosa Wilderness additions, and Joshua Tree National Park Wilderness additions. Over 40,000 acres in Joshua Tree National Park would also be protected as "potential wilderness", allowing the secretary of interior to declare them wilderness once certain inholdings are acquired. The bill would also protect four river segments as wild and scenic rivers - Fuller Mill Creek, North Fork San Jacinto River, Bautista Creek, and Palm Canyon Creek. It would also expand the San Jacinto/Santa Rosa National Monument by 3,500 acres.

Many of these areas include extremely rare plants and suites of species, as well as endangered mammals such as desert bighorn sheep. Outdoor activities including rock climbing, hiking, and outdoor photography are very popular in many of the areas. The proposed wild rivers offer not only uncommon and beautiful water courses but also habitat for many endangered amphibians. Many areas include important Native American cultural sites as well as the setting for Helen Hunt Jackson's famous historical novel Ramona.

WhatYouCanDo

Rep. Bono will begin an extensive public process, looking for feedback from local constituents and making changes to address concerns that are raised. Because this process could greatly change the ultimate legislation, it is extremely important that we show our support early and often for the best possible bill. Constituent comments will matter most, but it's also important and useful for Rep. Bono to hear support from all around the state.

Take a moment to thank Rep. Bono for introducing H.R. 6270 by visiting her web site at www.house.gov/formbono/issue.htm or call her Palm Springs office at (760) 320-1076. Ask her to add in the San Jacinto Wilderness additions, which were recommended for wilderness by the Forest Service in its forest plan, in her bill during the next Congress.

The North Coast bill could not have happened without strong leadership from our delegation, but particularly from Rep. Thompson and Sen. Boxer. If you haven't done so already, please go to their web sites at www.senate.gov and send thank you e-mails; or call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121, ask to be connected to their office(s), and tell their staff to pass on your thanks for their work on North Coast wilderness.