Golden State Today

Washington—Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) on May 17 released the following statement after the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources advanced several bills that were priorities for her, including the Rim of the Valley Corridor Preservation Act:

“It’s wonderful news that the Energy and Natural Resources Committee advanced several bills to benefit Californians, protect our state’s many spectacular open spaces and help us better prepare for wildfires.

“I’m particularly pleased that the committee advanced the Rim of the Valley Corridor Preservation Act, our bill to add more than 119,000 acres of the Rim of the Valley Corridor to the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.

“Despite being the largest county in the state by population, Los Angeles County is one of the most park-poor counties in the state. Our bill would help fix that by connecting more people to trails and open spaces in the mountains surrounding the Los Angeles Basin.

“I want to thank Chairman Manchin for including these bills and helping us move them to the floor where I hope they will receive a vote soon.”

In addition to Rim of the Valley Corridor Preservation Act, the committee advanced other bills that Senator Feinstein has cosponsored including the:

• Lake Tahoe Restoration Reauthorization Act to extend the existing law that supports environmental protection and habitat restoration programs across the Lake Tahoe Basin.
  Senator Feinstein led passage of the previous Lake Tahoe Restoration Reauthorization Act in 2016. 

• Berryessa Snow Mountain Expansion National Monument Expansion Act to expand the national monument to include approximately 3,925 acres of adjacent Bureau of Land Management-administered public lands in Lake County. It would also require the BLM and the U.S. Forest Service to improve tribal engagement and co-management of the national monument, including for historic preservation, archaeological sites and forest health.
  
  Senator Feinstein led the effort to designate the national monument under President Obama in 2016.

• Smith River National Recreation Area Act to expand the recreational area on the California-Oregon border by 58,000 acres, a move that would protect the diverse ecosystems of the rivers, streams and adjacent lands of the North Fork Smith River watershed and help boost the local fishing and recreation industries.
  
  
• Root and Stem Project Authorization Act to codify the authority of the secretaries of the Agriculture and Interior departments to conduct forest restoration projects alongside private landowners and companies.

Original source can be found here.