Senate Passes North Coast Wilderness Bill

Bi-Partisan Vote Moves Popular Bill Forward

WASHINGTON, DC – In a bi-partisan vote of support, the United States Senate unanimously passed legislation protecting 300,000 acres of wilderness and 21 miles of wild and scenic river on existing federal public lands in Rep. Mike Thompson’s First Congressional District.  This is the second advance toward becoming law the bill has taken in July. The Northern California Coastal Wild Heritage Wilderness Act (H.R. 233/S. 128), sponsored by Rep. Thompson (D-Napa Valley) and California Senators Barbara Boxer (D) and Dianne Feinstein (D) received a hearing in a key congressional subcommittee in the House of Representatives last week. 

The legislation covers some of the most beautiful and majestic lands in five Northern California counties – Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino and Napa – as well as a segment of the Black Butte River.  The bill has robust local support due to the inclusive process the sponsors used in crafting the legislation. In a regional demonstration of political support, 20 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 Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

“The many meetings held in Representative Thompson’s congressional district gave constituents the peace of mind that this bill would provide the best protection of our natural resources, and will preserve the scenic landscapes that are a critical economic and recreational resource for our communities,” said Humboldt County Supervisor John Woolley.  “No lands would be removed from the local property tax base.  No legal roads or authorized Off-Highway Vehicle routes would be closed.  And this bill will not hamper the ability of federal agencies to either suppress fire or manage fuels before a fire starts,” add Woolley.

In July, the bill was heard in the U.S. House Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health.  At that hearing, supervisors from Del Norte and Mendocino counties testified in support of the wilderness proposal.  Jim Wattenburger, Mendocino County Supervisor and former Battalion Chief for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection confirmed that the legislation provides the authority to protect people and property from catastrophic wildfires allowing for control of and pre-suppression of fire by any means necessary. Overall, the sponsors have made numerous modifications to the bill to address fire management concerns of federal and state agencies and local residents resulting in a reduction to the proposal by 15,000 acres. In addition, committee members were given evidence of the overwhelmingly local support, including letters from various businesses, timber interests, private land inholders, adjacent landowners, towns, counties, equestrians, and a petition of support from approximately 800 residents of Del Norte County.   

After four years of discussions, public meetings, and working groups convened by Rep. Thompson and Senators Feinstein and Boxer, H.R. 233/S. 128 has now progressed further than previous attempts at preserving these last remaining wild spaces along spectacular California’s North Coast.  The bill now awaits a full vote in the House Resources Committee.

“Well crafted, well planned environmental stewardship can go hand-in-hand with economic development.  In the 21st century, California will rely less on extractive wealth and more on tourism and recreation dollars,” said Ray Krauss, Napa County resident and past president of the California Mining Association.  “This legislation will enable future generations to live, work and play among our beautiful local treasurers.  I look forward to this bill soon becoming law,” added Krauss.

As a result of this inclusive process, the Northern California Coastal Wild Heritage Wilderness Act has received unprecedented bipartisan local and statewide support from a wide variety of interests, including more than 50 local elected officials from both sides of the political aisle.  Hundreds of local land owners, businesses, timber mills, scientists, mountain bikers, Native Americans, hunters, anglers, winemakers, religious groups, and members of other diverse user groups support this piece of legislation. 

The Northern California Coastal Wild Heritage Wilderness Act would designate key landscapes as wilderness and protect 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.

Over the last 20 years, 700,000 acres of potential wilderness has been lost to development and destruction in California. At that rate, 90% of California’s remaining public wild lands will be lost within the next century if action is not taken to permanently protect them.  For more information on the wild places included in this legislation, please visit www.californiawild.org.

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The California Wild Heritage Campaign is a non-partisan, broad-based coalition of everyday citizens who share a common goal of ensuring the permanent protection of California's remaining wild lands and rivers. We are business-owners, anglers, hunters, vintners, scientists, outdoor enthusiasts, people of faith, conservation groups, and much more.