Senator Barbara Boxer and Congressman Buck McKeon have introduced into Congress the Eastern Sierra and Northern San Gabriel Wild Heritage Act, which would protect 472,804 acres (430,671 of this in the Eastern Sierra). The remaining acreage (42,133) is in Los Angeles County.
While we applaud the wilderness protection of these wild lands, we regret that many other deserving areas were not included. However, the bill is a compromise which offers wilderness protection to over 430,671 acres of land and releases from wilderness protection four Wilderness Study Areas (WSAs), Masonic Mountain, Mormon Meadow, Walford Springs and Granite Mountain, a total of 51,000 acres, and would allow snowmobile use on about 11,000 acres near the Hoover Wilderness and Yosemite National Park. The release of the WSAs and snowmobile use in the Leavitt Bowl is a disappointment for conservationists.
The bill is a good example of bi-partisanship at work. Time is very short in this Congressional session for this bill to pass the Senate and House and be sent to the President for his signature. Senator Boxer and Congressman McKeon and their staff deserve our thanks for working together and presenting this wilderness bill. Wilderness bills take years of time, hard work, and dedication by wilderness advocates. We thank all who made this legislation possible and hope that it will be signed into law this year. It is imperative to have these spectacular lands protected for the people, for the wildlife, and for clean water and air.
When enacted, this bill will protect the Owens River Headwaters by adding 15,246 acres to the Ansel Adams Wilderness. 250 acres will be added to the Emigrant Wilderness. It will provide wilderness protection to 34,564 acres on Granite Mountain. It adds 36,980 acres to the Hoover Wilderness. 223,516 acres in the White Mountains will become wilderness. Unfortunately, wilderness protection for the White Mountains stops at the Inyo County line because of opposition in Inyo County. John Muir Wilderness will gain 80,112 acres. These numbers are approximate and could change over time. Changes have been made to the original bill because of concerns of local people. We hope and expect the total acres protected will remain the same.
For more information on the bill and to view maps, go to www.boxer.senate.gov and/or www.mckeon.house.gov.
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