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<.FOAN�" CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
DATE: June 17, 2015 CONSENT CALENDAR
SUBJECT: CALIFORNIA DESERT CONSERVATION AND RECREATION ACT 2015
(U.S. SENATE BILL 414)
FROM: David H. Ready, City Manager
BY: Office of the City Manager
SUMMARY
In February 2015, Senator Dianne Feinstein introduced the California Desert
Conservation & Recreation Act, Senate Bill 414 (S414), which builds on the Senator's
California Desert Protection Act, which became law in 1994. S414 would protect
additional public lands and is intended to carefully balance conservation, recreation and
renewable energy development.
RECOMMENDATION:
Receive and file.
STAFF ANALYSIS:
Senator Dianne Feinstein introduced the California Desert Conservation and Recreation
Act 2015, Senate Bill 414 (S414) that would expand protection to public lands
throughout southern California. A Fact Sheet of S414 is included as Attachment 1, and
proposes to:
• Create two new national monuments: (1) The Mojave Trails National Monument,
which would encompass 942,000 acres of land, and (2) The Sand to Snow National
Monument, which would encompass 135,000 acres of land from desert floor in the
Coachella Valley to the top of Mount San Gorgonio, (a map identifying the proposed
Monument is included as Attachment 2);
• Designate 5 Bureau of Land Management (BLM) wilderness areas covering
approximately 204,650 acres;
• Designate 73 miles of waterways as Wild and Scenic Rivers, including a portion of
the Whitewater River northwest of Palm Springs (reference information and map is
included as Attachment 3);
• Add 32,520 acres of wilderness and 6,369 acres non-wilderness to Death Valley
ITEM NO. �1'�
City Council Staff Report
June 17, 2015 -- Page 2
California Desert Conservation and Recreation Act 2015 (S414)
National Park (DVNP), and designates 59,076 acres of wilderness within DVNP;
• Add 4,518 acres to Joshua Tree National Park and 21,000 acres to the Mojave
National Preserve; and
• Add 95,110 acres to existing BLM wilderness and 7,141 acres to USFS wilderness;
• Designate five existing BLM Off-Highway Vehicle areas (covering approximately
135,000 acres of California desert) as permanent Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV)
recreation areas.
The full text of S414 is available at:
hftps://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/1 141s414/text
A map showing an overall view of the various areas of southern California affected by
S414 is included as Attachment 4. It does not appear that S414 would affect any
public lands located within the incorporated limits of Palm Springs. On April 21, 2015,
the Sustainability Commission voted unanimously to endorse and support S414, and
has requested staff to present S414 to City Council for its consideration to officially
support it. While S414 would protect important public lands, some public officials have
expressed concern that limiting public lands to development, mining, and other uses
may harm the local economy, (refer to article Feinstein bill will boost economy,
supporters say, April 29, 2015, included as Attachment 5).
Staff submits this information related to S414, with the recommendation from the
Sustainability Commission for official support from the City Council. If the City Council
prefers to consider an official statement of support, staff recommends that the City
Council direct staff to prepare a formal Resolution of Support for S414, which could be
presented to the City Council for official action at a subsequent meeting.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT:
Section 15061 (b)(3) of the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA') Guidelines
exempts activities that are covered under the general rule that CEQA applies only to
projects that have the potential to cause significant effects on the environment. Where
it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility the activity in question may have
a significant effect upon the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA. The
requested action requests the City Council to receive and file this report on the
proposed legislation identified as S414, which itself will not result in any new direct
physical impacts to the environment. Therefore, the requested action is considered
exempt from CEQA.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no direct local fiscal impact associated with the requested action.
02
City Council Staff Report
June 17, 2015-- Page 3
California Desert Conservation and Recreation Act 2015 (S414)
SUBMITTED:
Prepared by: Approved by:
-7
Marcus L. Fuller, David H. Ready, a ger
Assistant City Manager/City Engineer
Attachment:
1. Fact Sheet of S414
2. Sand to Snow National Monument Map
3. Wild and Scenic Rivers Designation Information for Whitewater River
4. S414 Overview Map
5. Feinstein bill will boost economy, supporters say, April 29, 2015
03
ATTACHMENT
04
e.4w,mam ForA rtf-a G,4LiFOrwl-o4 CtE T-
Protecting Our Legacy, Strengthening Our Future
CaliforniaDesert • - • and
Recreation Act of i i
Summary Specifically, the Act (S.414) will:
The conservation and Establish the 941,413-acre Mojave Trails National
Monument in eastern San Bernardino County along the
recreationportion of longest undeveloped stretch of historic Route 66;
the California Desert Designate the 133,524-acre Sand to Snow National
Conservationand Monument that stretches between Joshua Tree National
Recreation Act of 2015 Park on the east and the high country of the San
will improve protection Gorgonio Wilderness in the San Bernardino National
Forest to the west;
for approximately 1.6
Add five areas encompassing 204.6500 acres to the
federalmillion acres of National Wilderness Preservation System, including
land while ensuring the Avawatz Mountains Wilderness, Great Falls Basin
that public access and Wilderness and Soda Mountains Wilderness;
recreational use of the Enlarge existing BLM wilderness by 95,110 acres
continuedesert can including Golden Valley Wilderness, Kingston Range
Wilderness,and Grass Valley Wilderness; and add
generations to come. 7,141 acres to the San Gorgonio Wilderness (USFS);
Establish the 81,800-acre Vinagre Wash Special
Management Area in Imperial County where many
ecologically and culturally sensitive areas would be
protected from development and vehicle use;
a � r Enlarge Death Valley National Park by 97,965 acres,
Mojave National Preserve by 21 ,000 acres and Joshua
Tree National Park by 4,518 acres;
Continued
05
CaliforniaDesert • • and
RecreationAct of 1
Add over 70 miles (22,400 acres) of
stream to the National Wild and Scenic
Rivers System along the Amargosa
River, Deep Creek, Surprise Canyon and
the W hitewater River;
Designate the Alabama Hills National In addition to these protective measures,the
Scenic Area(18,840 acres) Act will also:
Designate the Black Lava Butte and
Flat Top Mesa as an Area of Critical Withdraw protection from 33,571 acres of
Environmental Concern(6,350acres) the Soda Mountains Wilderness Study Area;
Establish the Joshua Tree Visitor Withdraw protection from the 84,400-acre
Center Cady Mountains Wilderness Study Area
(5,500 acres of the area will be included in
Provide for revenue sharing with the Mojave Trails National Monument);
state and counties from renewable
energy rents and royalties Facilitate the transfer of isolated parcels
of state-owned land that are surrounded
Permanently prohibit the staking of new by desert wilderness areas and parks in
mining claims on approximately 10,000 exchange for federal assets, potentially
acres of land sacred to the Quechan including parcels of federal land;
Tribe in Imperial County while preserving
established claims; Turn five existing administratively-
designated off-highwayvehicle(OHV)
Mandate the study and protection of recreation areas into legislatively-designated
cultural trails and associated features OHVareas;
along the Colorado River that is sacred
to several tribes; Require the Secretary of the Interior to study
the possibility of expanding these OHV
Transfer a 994-acre Bureau of Land areas; and
Management holding in San Diego
County to Anza-Borrego Desert State Allow for the expansion of a small airport in
Park and require the state to manage the Imperial County.
land as wilderness; and
Require the Department of the Interior
to study the future impacts of climate For more information, contact:
change on the California desert, to Monica Argandona, California Wilderness Coalition,
mitigate these impacts and to identify margandona@calwild.org, 951-205-6004
and protect important wildlife migration Matt Jatovsky, TheWiklerness Society,
corridors in the region. mattJatovsky@tws.org, 760-366-1847
David Lamfrom, National Parks Conservation Association,
dlamfrom@npca.org, 760-219-4916
California wilderness Coalition I The Pew Charitable Trusts O
Friendsofthe Desert Mountains I Friendsofthe Riverl National Parks ConservationAssociation
The Wilderness Society I The wildlands Conservancy
ATTACHMENT
07
Proposed Sand to Snow National Monument ICI
January 21, 2015
This map prepared at the request of Senator Dianne Feinstein
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Protecting Our Legacy, Strengthening Our Future
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The Whitewater River flows freely from the Mt. San Gorgonio
Did You Know? Summit(11,499 feet) for more than 30 miles to the Coachella
Valley.An area of high ecological significance,the Whitewater
• The CDCRA proposes to River is one of the most pristine and remote watersheds in
protect more than 28 miles of southern California.
the Whitewater River, and its The river provides a critical biological link between the San
North,Middle and south Bernardino Mountains and Coachella Valley, and important
Forks. habitat for such diverse species as the California spotted owl,
• The ultimate sources of the Nelson's bighorn sheep,and arroyo toad. The river's rich
Whitewater River include Mt riparian vegetation is a seasonal home to endangered neo-
San Gorgonio and a 10,000 it tropical songbirds, including least Bells vireo and southwest
ridge in the San Bernardino willow flycatcher.
Mountains. Much of the up
per watershed is virtually trail-less,but the
lower river may be easily accessed from Interstate 10 by
The Whitewater wild and visiting The Wildlands Conservancy's Whitewater River
scenic river will be managed Preserve,where a trailhead along the Pacific Crest Trail
by the US Forest Service, BLM parallels and then crosses the river.
and the Wildlands
Conservancy. The Whitewater River is an important ceremonial and cultural
area for traditional Cahuilla Indians,who visit the river to
collect and gather native materials.
For More Information: Steve Evans,Friends of the River,sevans@friendsoftheriver.org,916.708.3166
Monica Argandoiia,California Wilderness Coalition,margandona@calwild.org, , ti •
Malt Jalovsky,The Wilderness Society,matt-jatovsky@tws.org, 760.690.6649
10
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ATTACHMENT
12
2015 California Desert Conservation and Recreation Act Overview
March 16, 2015
This map prepared at the request of Senator Dianne Feinstein
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ATTACHMENT
14
612l2015 Feinstein till will boost economy,supporters say I Campaign for the California Desert
eAA�r 4&V MA T}fB e.41JM?W 1A GZ-SERT
Prulecting Our I ehacy, Strengthening Our Future
Wild Places & Rivers The Proposal • Supporters Get Involved Resources
Feinstein bill will boost economy, supporters say
Apr 29,2015
Supporters of desert protections legislation introduced by Sen.Dianne Feinstein,D-Calif.,said this week that the bill will bolster San Bernardino County's economy
and represents little shift from Feinstein's historic 1994 California Desert Protection Act.
Monica Argandona,the Southern California conservation director for the California Wilderness Coalition,an organization focused on the state's wildlands,said she
had been working on the California Desert Conservation and Recreation Act of 2015 with Feinstein for eight years.
"There's always going to be opposition,there's always going to be people ideologically opposed to it,"Argandona said,"but this will be a great economic benefit to
San Bernardino County."
She said the bill essentially preserves lands that each year attract millions of visitors and generate large sums of revenue to the county and local cities.
In 2005,The Wilderness Society analyzed the financial impact to four counties,including San Bernardino,which were part of Feinstein's 1994 bill.The group found
that wildlands in the desert generated$1.3 billion per year and nearly 3,700 jobs between the counties,and$557 million in this county alone.
According to Campaign for the California Desert—a coalition of conservationists and community and business leaders—visitors to Death Valley and Joshua Tree
National Parks and the Mojave National Preserve contributed$165 million to the region's economy in 2013,also supporting neary 2,000 jobs.
Introduced in February,Feinstein's bill would create the Mojave Trails National Monument,designating protections to roughly 941,000 acres between Needles and
Barstow.it is also expected to increase protections for approximately 1.6 million acres of desert landscape,and also create a second new national monument,
while expanding Joshua Tree and Death Valley National Parks and the Mojave National Preserve.
But Feinstein's legislation also has prompted questions from regional leaders,most recently county 1 st District Supervisor Robert Lovingood,who said while
portions of the bill had merit,the bill was destined to harm the local economy.
He said last week some lands would become off limits to development,mining,off-roading,grazing and military training,and the bill would hinder the multiple-use
approach to public lands.
Argandona,however,called the bill"a balanced approach"that reflected the diversity of wildlands stakeholders,including off-road enthusiasts,conservationists
and the military.She said it would not impact major mining corporations.
Last week,a miners organization announced it was considering an economic boycott of Apple Valley after the Town Council showed support for the bill.
Rep.Paul Cook,R-Apple Valley,sent a federal land survey to constituents in March for feedback weighing two sides in his letter:The bill's ability to protect the
desert and its potential to curtail economic activities.
While Argandona said she expected Cook to be a"champion"forthe cause,Lovingood said he looked forward to working with the 8th District Congressman on
"alternatives that won't hamstring our economy and will promote the multiple-use approach to our desert."
Randy Banis,editor of DeathValley.com and member of the Bureau of Land Management Desert Advisory Council,said the bill,ultimately,"is not really a whole lot
of change."
"I would say this bill is a status quo bill in that it preserves the recreational opportunities that currently exist in these lands and the economic benefits there of,"
Banis said."It preserves the current mining claims and protects their economic value and it protects viewsheds and undeveloped lands for public uses for
generations to come."
Meanwhile,Latino faith leaders and youth in the Victor Valley plan to hike Big Morongo Canyon Preserve on Saturday.The hike is meant to allow participants to
"explore the need to protect the California desert and how the Latino community can help lead the charge for its conservation,"the group For La Creacion:Faith-
based Alliance said in a statement.
Feinstein's bill is expected to be discussed during the hike. 1J C
n httpl/californiadesert.orgK6nstei hil-will-boost-economy-supporters-say/
61212)15 Feinstein bill will boost economy,supporters say I Campaign for the California Desert
Source:Daily Press,April 29,2015
by Shea Johnson,Shea Johnson may be reached at 760-955-5368 or SJohnson@WDailyPress.com.Follow him on Twitter at @DP_Shea.
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