North Coast Wilderness Bill Heads To President’s Desk

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the U.S. Congress sent the Northern California Coastal Wild Heritage Wilderness Act (H.R. 233/S. 128) to the desk of President Bush for approval.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Thompson (D-Napa Valley) and California Senators Barbara Boxer (D) and Dianne Feinstein (D) grants wilderness designation to approximately 275,000 acres of federal land and wild and scenic river status to 21 miles of the Black Butte River in California’s North Coast. Approximately 51,000 acres would be designated as a Recreation Management Area for off-highway vehicles and mountain bikes.

“I ask the President to quickly sign this important bill into law. Preserving natural wonders like Cache Creek and the Snow Mountain Additions for future generations to enjoy, is important to the economic, cultural and recreational heritage of Lake County and the North Coast,” said Lake County Supervisor Ed Robey. “I thank Congressman Thompson and Senators Boxer and Feinstein for working tirelessly with their constituents to permanently protect some of our remaining wild places.”

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 Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

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.

“The conservation of these remaining wild places is critical for paddlers, the outdoor recreation industry, and the local economy. There is a positive correlation between protecting these public lands, quality of life, and economic development,” stated Michael Duffy, Marketing Director for Kokatat, a leading producer of watersports wear based in Arcata. “We firmly believe that the North Coast Wilderness Bill will generate additional recreation and tourism dollars while keeping these lands in their natural state for generations to come”.

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The California Wild Heritage Campaign (www.californiawild.org) 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.