In the News
Idyllwild Town Crier
By J.P. Crumrine
October 12, 2006
Bono’s new local rivers, wilderness bill
Congresswoman Mary Bono (R-Palm Springs) introduced legislation Monday to create three new wilderness areas, to expand three existing areas, and designate four local rivers and streams as wild and scenic — most of which are within the local mountains. The bill, H.R. 6270, is named the California Desert and Mountain Heritage Act.
Bono made the announcement Monday afternoon at the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Visitor Center. A legion of environmental leaders representing both local and national organizations joined the Bono for the announcement.
“Some say Republicans don’t care about protection of natural resources, but we recall Teddy Roosevelt is the spirit of their leader,” Bono said confidently. “We got the National Monument bill to the president’s desk and this one will be there, too.”
The wilderness areas total more than 125,000 acres and are all located in Riverside County.
The largest area would add 78,000 acres to the existing Joshua Tree wilderness. These acres comprise two separate areas, both within the Joshua Tree National Park. This proposal would preserve portions of two different desert ecosystems: the Mojave and Colorado deserts.
The second largest proposal and the one that will generate the greatest local interest is the designation of nearly 22,000 acres along the South Fork of the San Jacinto River. This is entirely within the San Jacinto Ranger District.
The two other new wilderness areas are the Cahuilla Mountain (7,130 acres within the San Jacinto Ranger District) and the Beauty Mountain (16,700 acres of public lands).
The other two wilderness additions are the Agua Tibia (1,950 acres within the Cleveland National Forest) and the Santa Rosa Peak (including an expanded National Monument boundary of 3,500 acres).
Fifty acres in the Snow Creek vicinity along I-10 would be added to the National Monument. They are critical to the mountain and desert ecosystems, said Bill Havert, executive director of the Coachella Valley Mountains Conservancy.
“Snow Creek is small, but the resource values are important to connectivity for migrating wildlife and the Pacific Crest Trail goes through it, too,” Havert said.
The 31 miles of Wild and Scenic River designations include 10.1 miles of the North Fork of the San Jacinto River, 3.5 miles of Fuller Mill Creek, 9.8 miles of Bautista Creek and 8.1 miles of Palm Canyon Creek.
“If enacted, these will be the first components of the Wild and Scenic River system in Southern California,” said Steve Evans, conservation director, Friends of the River.
The areas are within Bono’s 45th California district and Riverside County. Afterward, Roy Wilson, Riverside County 4th District supervisor, master of ceremonies for the event, expressed confidence that the entire board would support Bono’s proposal.
Bono confirmed that she does not expect the 109th Congress, which expires before January, to take any action. “This will be the first bill I place in the hopper at the beginning of the next Congress,” she quickly added.
“The Santa Rosa San Jacinto Mountains National Monument is the model of how to establish and protect a resource,” Bono proudly began. She emphasized that the process of deciding what to protect and how extensive the protections may be is just as important to her as what is protected.
“We came together as a community,” she stressed. “This process is equally inclusive. I’m as proud of the process as the outcome.”
Some locals dissented. Charles Clayton and Elaine Miller attended the conference representing the Mountain Coalition. The public announcement was their first opportunity to see the proposal and talk to Bono about their views.
For example, Clayton and Miller expressed reservations about designating the South Fork as wilderness. “This is one big deep steep canyon which couldn’t be developed,” Clayton argued. “By making it a wilderness, you take away the fuelbreak tool for fire protection.”
Miller, likewise, was disappointed in the Wild and Scenic river proposals. None met the coalition’s criteria as wild and scenic.
Bono expects negotiating to continue as the legislation is reviewed during the next Congress. “This begins the time for discussion and comment,” she asserted. Bono is also confident that Congressman Richard Pombo, chairman of the House Resources Committee, will support the bill.
H.R. 6270 will receive no attention this fall before Congress adjourns, Bono agreed, but these initial efforts will drive it in the next Congress, starting in January. Her November opponent, David Roth (D-Palm Springs), was skeptical of yesterday’s program.
“I’d be happy to comment on a bill that actually becomes law,” he said. “This is pure political desperation to show some last-minute action.”
But the cadre of local environmental leaders were willing to share the podium and praise Bono’s efforts. Havert referred to the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument as “Mary’s monument” and Monday’s proposal as “Mary’s modified monument.”