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Organization: U.S. Rep. Howard P. "Buck" McKeon
Date: September 11, 2008
McKeon Testifies in Support of Eastern Sierra and Northern San Gabriel Mountains Wild Heritage Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Rep. Howard P. "Buck" McKeon (R-Santa Clarita) presented testimony during a hearing of the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands on H.R. 6156, the Eastern Sierra and Northern San Gabriel Mountains Wild Heritage Act, a measure that would permanently protect wilderness lands across the 25th Congressional District.
"The Eastern Sierra and Northern San Gabriel Mountains legislation is the result of a great deal of compromise, cooperation, and support," said McKeon. "Both Senator Boxer and I care very deeply about the wild heritage of the pristine lands throughout California, and I am pleased to have had the opportunity to testify before my colleagues this morning on the broad support for and importance of this legislation."
McKeon worked closely with Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) over the past 18 months to craft this expanded version to legislation he originally introduced during the 109th Congress.
Among those providing testimony at today's hearing were Joel Holtrop, Deputy Chief of the U.S. Forest Service, and Vikki Bauer, Chair of the Mono County Board of Supervisors. Holtrop told the panel he was "supportive of Mr. McKeon's wilderness efforts" and that his staff will continue to work with the Congressman and Senator Boxer to address any concerns they may have.
Bauer, who represented the Mono County Board at the hearing, provided written testimony illustrating the county's support for the legislation. She also stressed that H.R. 6156 is more than just a wilderness bill; she says it is a compromise that could be used as a model for future land use decisions where federal and local interests intersect.
"The Eastern Sierra is a multi generational experience for many as it has been for my family, and knowing that it will be preserved as well as access to it preserved is the reward here," Bauer wrote. "I did not think I would live long enough to ever see wilderness study areas actually released, see recreation areas be included in the same bill with wilderness, and see no roads closed. With a nod to all users of our public lands, this bill has something for everybody, not just an exclusive user group."
Bauer's testimony continued, "Mono County has been proud to be part of this historic process helping to find ways that we can serve our common constituents and agencies."
On August 5, 2008, the Mono County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a motion of support for H.R. 6156 and has been instrumental in moving the legislation forward through the process.
"I want to thank Vikki Bauer and the Mono County Board of Supervisors for being such strong advocates for the wild heritage legislation," stated McKeon. "The input from the Board over the past year and half has been instrumental in moving H.R. 6156 this far, and I appreciate that. I'm also deeply grateful to the residents of my district for the dedication they have shown in providing input on this legislation. Their firsthand experience in the Eastern Sierra and Northern San Gabriel Mountains has greatly aided my efforts to craft a bill to best fit their needs."
Today's hearing on H.R. 6156 is just the first step toward passage of the bill in the House of Representatives. The bill is now eligible to be included in any pending House Natural Resources Committee markup.
The Senate companion bill, S. 3069, also titled the Eastern Sierra and Northern San Gabriel Mountains Wild Heritage Act, was successfully passed during today's Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee markup and now qualifies for action on the Senate Floor. McKeon remains hopeful that the bill will be passed by both bodies prior to the target adjournment date of September 26.
"I believe we have constructed the best bill possible for all concerned, and I look forward to its passage," McKeon said.
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United States House of Representatives Committee on Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands September 11, 2008
TESTIMONY BY CONGRESSMAN HOWARD P. "BUCK" MCKEON IN SUPPORT OF H.R. 6156, THE EASTERN SIERRA AND NORTHERN SAN GABRIEL MOUNTAINS WILD HERITAGEA ACT OF 2008
Mr. MCKEON: Mr. Chairman, thank you for inviting me to speak to you on my legislation. Today I am grateful for the opportunity to bring before you H.R. 6156, The Eastern Sierra and Northern San Gabriel Mountains Wild Heritage Act. This legislation is many years in the making, and enjoys a level of community input and cooperation unique for a bill of this type. The legislation addresses decades old land use conflicts throughout the 25th Congressional District of California, while at the same time preserving our collective natural heritage for generations to come.
Local input and support for an Eastern Sierra wilderness bill has been overwhelming. I have with me here today Vikki Bauer, Chair of the Mono County Board of Supervisors. She is one of the many local leaders I consulted in drafting H.R. 6156. Using their input Senator Boxer and I were able to negotiate further refinements to the bill you have before you today. This collaborative and exhaustive process has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career and I am happy to share the success of this process with local leaders like Vikki.
Since the introduction of H.R. 6156 in May of this year the question on many people's minds has been: Why is a Republican Congressman such as myself championing a wilderness bill? The answer is not complicated. In order to secure continuing economic and recreational opportunities in the Eastern Sierras compromise was necessary. The 25th Congressional District is one of the largest districts in the country — with over 95% of the land in Mono and Inyo Counties owned by the Federal government. The ramifications of this Federal ownership can be readily seen around the District, and often pits the needs of the public with those of the Federal government. Securing greater opportunities for public use of these lands prompted me to push for the release of Wilderness Study Areas, guaranteeing access to winter recreation opportunities and ensuring continued access to well loved off-road areas. All these efforts on H.R. 6156 required reaching across the aisle to craft a viable bill.
H.R. 6156 is truly a bipartisan effort. Having brought Senator Boxer on board as a cosponsor of my first wilderness effort in the 109th Congress, we both agreed to craft a new comprehensive bill for the 110th. I want to take this opportunity to thank her and her staff for their diligence throughout the 19 month negotiations that have resulted in H.R. 6156.
I am especially pleased to bring this bill to you as a shining example of community involvement. The many land use conflicts occurring in the Eastern Sierra were quickly brought to my attention following my election in 2003 to represent Inyo and Mono Counties. By building on the first hand experiences of my constituents I was able to ensure H.R. 6156 met their needs. My office has met repeatedly with virtually every stake holder, from managing agencies to county officials to local recreation advocates, and a large number of changes and accommodations were made at their behest prior to introduction of H.R. 6156.
Following introduction of the bill both my staff and the Senator's presented the bill directly to the public thru County Board of Supervisor hearings in both Mono and Inyo County. In this unique process hundreds of constituents attended and voiced their feelings about the bill directly to our staff and local elected leaders. We worked in tandem with local representatives from the Forest Service, BLM, CA Fish and Game, local agriculture community and many others to address their concerns. Those changes were then incorporated into the bill, resulting in the multitude of official support letters and motions I have here.
Specifically H.R. 6156 would designate over 400,000 acres of wilderness in the Eastern Sierra's of Mono and Inyo Counties and 70,000 in the San Gabriel Mountains north of Los Angeles. While many of these areas are already successfully protected from many destructive human activities by the management plans of the Forest Service and BLM, I feel strongly that these areas should have a higher level of protection. As the California population continues to grow we often see short-sighted planning that fails to take into account the needs of future generations. By protecting these areas as wilderness we will insure our great, great grandchildren will be able to enjoy these areas as we do today. The threat of unchecked development into these pristine areas may not be imminent — however California population is projected to reach 60 million people by 2050. Planning for that growth today will ensure future generations have opportunity to see these incredible places unspoiled.
Our public waterways will also be affected by future growth. In addition to the wilderness designations the bill also designates over 50 miles of the Amargosa River, Cottonwood Creek, Owens Headwaters, and Piru Creek as wild and scenic rivers. These designations will allow for the multitude of current activities enjoyed on these rivers to continue for generations to come, while at the same time helping to secure the badly needed water resources of Southern California's huge urban populations.
As a direct result of the collaborative efforts on H.R. 6156 I am happy to report over 50,000 acres of Wilderness Study Areas will be released from further consideration as wilderness. These areas have been in administrative limbo for almost 3 decades. The respective managing agencies have all recommended these areas be released and I am happy to finally implement their recommendations here in Congress. Just as we are protecting wilderness quality lands from future development we must also recognize the vast potential for public resources yet to be found in the Eastern Sierras.
The release of these WSA's guarantees the public will have greater flexibility in future land use planning. Still there are a multitude of additional WSA's in my district that are recommended for release. One such area, the Bodie WSA in northern Mono County has great potential for mineral resources. The economic benefit to the local community would be huge, and I look forward to working with managing agencies and my colleagues to facilitate environmentally responsible development of mineral resources throughout the region.
Enhancing economic opportunities in the rural areas of CA-25 remains one of the most important aspects of this bill. Many economists have demonstrated wilderness designations increase tourism and bring money into rural counties around the West. Along with the wilderness designation I am also happy to announce the creation of the Bridgeport Winter Recreation Area This winter recreation area will provide badly needed economic activity during the winter months. This 11,000 acre complex will provide some of the best winter recreation opportunities in the state, bringing increased viability to the community of Bridgeport in northern Mono County. Furthermore the ability to enter and exit the area has been greatly increased with the legalized crossing of the Pacific Crest Trail and I want to specifically thank the Pacific Crest Trail Association for working with us on H.R. 6156.
Mr. Chairman, I am deeply grateful to the residents of my district for the dedication they have shown in providing input on in this legislation. I would also like to personally thank Bob Haueter and Conor McGee of my personal staff for all their hard work on this bill. I am pleased to offer the Eastern Sierra and Northern San Gabriel Mountains Wild Heritage Act.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Rep. Howard P. "Buck" McKeon (R-Santa Clarita) presented testimony during a hearing of the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands on H.R. 6156, the Eastern Sierra and Northern San Gabriel Mountains Wild Heritage Act, a measure that would permanently protect wilderness lands across the 25th Congressional District.
