San Fransico Chronicle
Published January 09, 2004

Bill calls for protection of California land as wilderness

By TIM MOLLOY
Associated Press

Rep. Hilda Solis, D-Calif., and environmental activists called on Republican congressional leaders Thursday to support bills permanently granting the strongest possible level of federal protection to more than 2 million acres of California land and more than 300 miles of the state's rivers.

Designating the land as wilderness would give it a level of protection banning development, logging, off-road vehicles, mountain biking, and new mining and cattle grazing. But the Democratic-sponsored bill could have trouble in the Republican-controlled Congress.

The areas affected include the White Mountains north of Sequoia Kings Canyon National Park, Joshua Tree National Park and Death Valley.

Much of the land is near areas already designated wilderness, and many of the proposed new wilderness areas already have some form of federal protection, though not as stringent.

The chairman of the House Resources Committee, Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Calif., will closely scrutinize any bill seeking new wilderness protections, committee spokeswoman Nicole Andrews said. But Andrews said lawmakers could seek less-severe federal protections that would protect the lands without limiting uses like grazing or off-roading.

"Wilderness protection is a surgical tool that needs to be used with precision," she said.

Keith Hammond, spokesman for the California Wilderness Coalition, said the grazing issue was irrelevant because grazing permits have already been issued for most areas where grazing is possible, and those permits are still renewed even if an area is designated as wilderness.

Solis said granting wilderness status was the only way to ensure the land will remain pristine for future generations.

© Copyright 2004 by Associated Press