U.S. Senate Votes To Protect California Rivers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Steven Evans
Conservation Director
(916) 442-3155 x 221

sevans [at] friendsoftheriver.org

U.S. Senate Votes To Protect California Rivers

January 15, 2009 - The U.S. Senate approved an omnibus lands package today that will provide substantial protection for California rivers and wild lands. The package – S.22 – includes 150 separate bills, including bills dealing with California rivers and wild lands.

“This is the largest addition of federally protected rivers in California since 1987,” said Steve Evans, Conservation Director of the statewide conservation organization Friends of the River.

The bill protects as Wild, Scenic, and Recreational Rivers segments of the upper Owens River in Mono County, Cottonwood Creek and the Amargosa River in Inyo County, Piru Creek in Los Angeles County, and the North Fork San Jacinto River, Fuller Mill Creek, Palm Canyon Creek, and Bautista Creek in Riverside County. The bill also protects more than 700,000 acres of wilderness.

The rivers and streams protected in the bill provide outstanding opportunities for outdoor recreation, including hiking, fishing, and wildlife observation. In addition, the waterways provide important habitat for a host of threatened and endangered species and are rich in cultural and historical values.

“This bill protects our fast-dwindling heritage of free flowing rivers in a state where 1,400 dams have harnessed our rivers,” Evans said. “It also significantly increases the ecological diversity of the rivers in the National Wild & Scenic Rivers System.”

The legislation for the first time protects rivers and streams in eastern and southern California, in such spectacularly scenic and ecologically sensitive regions as the eastern Sierra, White Mountains, Mojave Desert, San Gabriel Mountains, and San Jacinto Mountains.

The California bills in the omnibus package include the California Desert and Mountain Heritage Act, sponsored by Rep. Mary Bono-Mack, and the Eastern Sierra and Northern San Gabriel Wild Heritage Act, sponsored by Rep. Buck McKeon. Both bills are cosponsored by Senate Barbara Boxer and Senator Dianne Feinstein. The bi-partisan bills are strongly supported by local governments and elected officials, business owners and chambers of commerce, and residents of nearby communities.

All the stream segments proposed for protection flow through public lands managed by the Forest Service or the Bureau of Land Management. Federal designation protects streams from new dams and requires that the public lands along their banks be managed to protect outstanding natural and cultural values. Federal designation does not affect private land use or property rights.

The omnibus package also includes a provision to implement the San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement. As a result of a federal court decision secured by Friends of the River and other groups, the multi-million dollar settlement proposes to restore flows in a segment of the San Joaquin de-watered by the Friant Dam. Settlement implementation will restore the river’s once fabled salmon and steelhead runs.

The House is expected to vote on the omnibus package within a few weeks. If passed by the House, the bill will go to President Obama’s desk for his signature.

#####

Friends of the River’s
2009 Wild & Scenic Rivers Agenda

An omnibus lands package (S.22) was introduced in the U.S. Senate on January 7,
2009. The S.22 package incorporates 150 separate bills including the California Desert
and Mountain Wild Heritage Act sponsored by Rep. Mary Bono-Mack and the Eastern
Sierra and Northern San Gabriel Wild Heritage Act sponsored by Rep. Buck McKeon.
Both bills are cosponsored by Senator Barbara Boxer and Senator Dianne Feinstein. The omnibus
package could achieve early passage in the 111th Congress.

The California bills are the culmination of more than eight years of work by Friends of the River and a
coalition of several other national, state, and regional organizations. Together the bills will protect eight
wild & scenic rivers totaling 105 miles and nearly 650,000 acres of wilderness in the eastern Sierra,
White Mountains, Mojave Desert, northern San Gabriel Mountains, and San Jacinto Mountains of
California. Both bills enjoy significant support from local governments, elected officials, chambers of
commerce, business owners, and residents. The omnibus package is expected to achieve early passage
through the 110th Congress. The California bills and rivers include:

California Desert and Mountain Heritage Act

North Fork San Jacinto River and Fuller Mill Creek – 10.2 miles
Location: Riverside County, San Bernardino National Forest
Rising from the alpine slopes of San Jacinto Mountain, the North Fork San Jacinto
River and its tributary Fuller Mill Creek are ecologically sensitive streams that
support endangered native frogs. Several popular trails provide access, including a
segment of the Pacific Crest Trail.

Palm Canyon Creek – 8.1 miles
Location: Riverside County, San Bernardino National Forest
Palm Canyon Creek supports the largest native palm oasis in the United States and is a vital source of
water for endangered bighorn sheep. Rich in Native American cultural heritage, the canyon also serves as
the route of a popular hiking trail.

Bautista Creek – 9.8 miles
Location: Riverside County, San Bernardino National Forest
Bautista Creek is an area of high ecological significance that supports more sensitive, threatened, and
endangered wildlife and plant species than any other part of the San Bernardino National Forest. The
canyon was the route of the historic Anza Expedition.

Eastern Sierra & Northern San Gabriel Wild Heritage Act

Upper Owens Wild & Scenic River – 19.1 miles
Location: Mono County, Inyo National Forest
The upper Owens River headwaters is one of America’s finest and most popular wild
trout streams. Wild and scenic protection of the public lands along the upper Owens
River will enhance the tourism and recreation economy of the eastern Sierra.

Cottonwood Creek Wild & Scenic River – 21.5 miles
Location: Inyo County, Inyo National Forest
From its source high in the White Mountains, Cottonwood Creeks tumbles eastward into the Great Basin
Desert. The creek is home to one of only four populations of the rare Paiute cutthroat trout in California
and supports more than 70 species of songbirds.

Amargosa Wild & Scenic River – 26.3 miles
Location: Inyo and San Bernardino Counties, Bureau of Land Management
A stunning oasis in the Mojave Desert, the Amargosa River sustains biologically rich wetlands and
riparian forests as it makes its way through ancient, rugged, and scenic canyons. A popular hiking trail
follows an historic railroad route.

Piru Creek Wild & Scenic River – 7.25 miles
Location: Los Angeles County, Angeles and Los Padres National Forests
Piru Creek is one of the few year-round catch and release trout fishing streams in southern California.
With easy access from Interstate 5, the creek is also a popular recreational destination for family picnics,
summertime wading, winter kayaking.

Future Wild Rivers Legislation
Friends of the River and its allies are working to develop public support for additional
wild rivers and wilderness legislation that could be introduced as early as 2009. We
are focusing on key congressional districts in southern California, including all or
portions of Monterey, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, and San Diego Counties.

Possible wild and scenic river candidates that could be included in potential
legislation include:
• Surprise Canyon in the Panamint Range west of Death Valley
• Deep Creek in the San Bernardino Mountains
• The San Gabriel River, San Antonio Creek, Middle Fork Lytle Creek and Little Rock Creek in the
San Gabriel Mountains
• San Mateo Creek in the Santa Ana and Santa Margarita Mountains
• The Santa Margarita River in the Santa Margarita Mountains
• The San Luis Rey River and its West Fork in the Palomar Mountains
• The upper San Diego River in the San Diego Ranges
• The Arroyo Seco River, Little Sur River, Carmel River, San Antonio River, and other streams in the
northern Santa Lucia Mountains along the Big Sur Coast

Funding from the outdoor industry is critical to the development and passage of important legislation to
protect California’s heritage of wild and free flowing rivers.

For more information, contact Steve Evans, Conservation Director, Friends of the River, 1418 20th Street
– Suite 100, Sacramento, CA 95811, Phone: (916) 442-3155 x221, Email: sevans [at] friendsoftheriver.org.