Big Sur Bill Introduction Press

Wilderness Bill

New York Times

http://bayarea.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/09/sampler-spying-charges-mushroom-season-s-curve-death/

Big Sur may qualify for more federal funding depending on the fate of a bill introduced last week by U.S. Rep. Sam Farr, D-Salina, making Big Sur a distinct unit within the National Forest system.

Sam Farr's Bill seeks funding, protection for Big Sur area of Los Padres

Monterey County Herald

Farr's bill seeks funding, protection for Los Padres

By DANIEL LOPEZ

http://www.montereyherald.com/local/ci_13736585

A federal bill seeking to make the Big Sur portion of Los Padres National Forrest a separately funded unit and expand protected wilderness areas in Monterey County was introduced Friday.

If signed into law, the bill from Rep. Sam Farr, D-Camel would redesignate the Monterey Ranger District of Los Padres as a separate management unit.

Currently, the forest, which is about 2 million acres stretching from Big Sur to Los Angles County, is divided into five ranger districts that share federal funds from the Department of Agriculture.

Redesignating the Big Sur area would give the Monterey County portion of the forest its own funding and allow local management to decide how the money should be spent, said Tom Mentzer, a spokesman for Farr.

Farr's bill also would:

· Add 2,287 acres to the Ventana Wilderness from land owned by the Bureau of Land Management and adjust some of the boundaries.

· Establish the Arroyo Seco-Indians National Recreational Trail and the 65-acre Jeff Norman Botanical Area.

· Create a Wildland Urban Interface Special Study Area for demonstrating fire prevention methods.

· Add portions of the Arroyo Seco, Carmel and San Antonio rivers and the San Carpoforo and Big Creeks to the National Wild and Scenic River System.

"The forests and coastline of Big Sur and the rivers along the Central Coast are known worldwide as places of amazing beauty, but it will take effort by all of us to maintain that beauty," Farr said in a news release.

Adding areas of the local creeks and rivers to the National Wild and Scenic River System would prevent any dams or other major developments in the designated waterway. Such development is already prohibited by federal law in the areas proposed in the bill because the rivers and creeks flow through Forest Service wilderness lands.

Water rights would remain under the authority of the state but the Forest Service would be required to manage the riparian corridor to enhance its wildlife, scenic, recreational, historic and cultural assets.

"This legislation will provide permanent protection for the last free-flowing wild rivers in the Ventana Region and implement other safeguards to protect these public and wildlands and rivers for future generations," Tom Hopkins, president of the Ventana Wilderness Alliance said.

Big Sur could get more land, protection under Farr bill

Salinas Californian

http://www.thecalifornian.com/article/20091107/NEWS01/911070312/1002/NEWS01

Bill would give locals more control over coast

By Leslie Griffy

Plans to pay for the Big Sur portion of Los Padres National Forest separately, add more than 2,000 acres to the Ventana Wilderness and prevent dams on some local rivers are all part of legislation submitted to Congress on Friday

Under the bill by Rep. Sam Farr, D-Carmel, Congress would take a closer look at management of the federal portions of the Big Sur coast.  Funding Big Sur independently of the large Los Padres National Forest would allow for spending decisions to happen locally, supporters said."This bill will protect sensitive rivers and put control in local hands, right where it should be," Farr said.

The rivers slated for additional protection if declared part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System include:

·  Arroyo Seco River

·  Big Creek

·  Carmel River

·  San Antonio River

·  San Carpoforo Creek

The designation would prevent major developments, like dams, in the waterways.

A number of local conservation organizations wrote letters supporting the bill, which still must go through committees and both houses of Congress, and then be signed by the president before becoming law.

"We believe that the 'Wild and Scenic' designation will protect the creek's outstanding cultural, environmental and fishery values," wrote Keith Meyerhoff, of the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center near Tassajara Creek.

Representatives of the Big Creek Reserve noted the creek is a spawning habitat for endangered steelhead trout, while Carmel Valley Association President Glenn Robinson praised protection for the California red-legged frog.

"This is a huge leap in protection for the cultural areas that we have been working so hard to care for since time begin," wrote Gregg Castro, of the Salinan Nation Cultural Preservation Association.

Big Sur wilderness may get money, protections

San Jose Mercury News and Santa Cruz Sentinel

http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_13744687

By Kurtis Alexander

Posted: 11/08/2009 08:41:53 PM

Fans of Big Sur are praising legislation introduced by U.S. Rep. Sam Farr, D-Salinas, on Friday that would provide more money and protections to the vast Central Coast wilderness.

The bill, the Big Sur Forest Service Management Unit Act, would make Big Sur a distinct unit within the National Forest system, qualifying it for more federal funding and giving managers there greater autonomy.

The bill would also add five Central Coast rivers to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, expand the amount of area designated to the higher protection standard of "wilderness" and memorialize an official Arroyo Seco-Indians National Recreational Trail and a 65-acre Jeff Norman Botanical Area.

"It's good for a lot of reasons," said Tom Hopkins, president of the Santa Cruz-based Ventana Wilderness Alliance, a group working to safeguard the Big Sur area.

Big Sur, a loosely defined region south of the Carmel River in the Santa Lucia Mountains, is mostly managed by the Los Padres National Forest. The area is popular with ocean-gazers, hikers and backpackers.

"The forests and coastline of Big Sur and the rivers along the Central Coast are known worldwide as place of amazing beauty," Farr said in a statement.

"But it will take effort by all of us to maintain that beauty."