Print Article(SACRAMENTO, CA) The State Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Water passed a bill authored by Assemblymember Noreen Evans (D-Santa Rosa) that directs the state to assess the suitability of specific state roadless lands in Northern California for wilderness designation.
Assembly Bill (AB) 2923 passed 5-3 and awaits further review in the Senate Committee on Appropriations.
"The Legislature hasn´t designated new wilderness in decades," said Evans. "We are long overdue to do our part to protect wildlife, watersheds, and wild lands for future generations to enjoy."
Sponsored by the California Wilderness Coalition, AB 2923 directs the Resources Agency and the State Lands Commission to assess whether specific state lands merit wilderness designation. Please see enclosed materials for further details about the following state lands:
Cache Creek Wilderness, in Lake County
South Fork Eel Wilderness, Sanhedrin Wilderness, Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness and Yuki Wilderness, in Mendocino County
Robert Louis Stevenson State Park, Knoxville Wildlife Area and Cedar Roughs Wildlife Area, in Napa County
Henry W. Coe State Park, in Santa Clara County
Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve and Austin Creek Redwoods State Park, in Sonoma County.
"The state manages thousands of acres of wild lands that aren´t protected as wilderness," said Brent Schoradt, Deputy Policy Director for the California Wilderness Coalition. "This bill lays the groundwork for high value wilderness designations in the future."
Wilderness is the highest level of protection for publicly owned lands. State law defines a wilderness area as land which has retained its primeval character and is managed to preserve its natural conditions.
Current law requires the Resources Secretary and State Lands Commission to report to the Governor and the Legislature about the wilderness system and prospective additions each year. Each time new federal wilderness is designated in California, current law requires these agencies to review the appropriateness of a wilderness designation for adjacent state lands. Congress has designated millions of acres of federal wilderness in California, most recently in 2006 through legislation authored by Congressman Mike Thompson (D-St. Helena).
AB 2923 is supported by a range of groups, including the CA State Parks Foundation, Defenders of Wildlife, the Sierra Club, and Sonoma County Conservation Action. Sonoma County and Napa County also support the legislation. Further information is available online at http://www.leginfo.ca.gov.
Assembly Bill (AB) 2923 passed 5-3 and awaits further review in the Senate Committee on Appropriations.
"The Legislature hasn´t designated new wilderness in decades," said Evans. "We are long overdue to do our part to protect wildlife, watersheds, and wild lands for future generations to enjoy."
Sponsored by the California Wilderness Coalition, AB 2923 directs the Resources Agency and the State Lands Commission to assess whether specific state lands merit wilderness designation. Please see enclosed materials for further details about the following state lands:
Cache Creek Wilderness, in Lake County
South Fork Eel Wilderness, Sanhedrin Wilderness, Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness and Yuki Wilderness, in Mendocino County
Robert Louis Stevenson State Park, Knoxville Wildlife Area and Cedar Roughs Wildlife Area, in Napa County
Henry W. Coe State Park, in Santa Clara County
Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve and Austin Creek Redwoods State Park, in Sonoma County.
"The state manages thousands of acres of wild lands that aren´t protected as wilderness," said Brent Schoradt, Deputy Policy Director for the California Wilderness Coalition. "This bill lays the groundwork for high value wilderness designations in the future."
Wilderness is the highest level of protection for publicly owned lands. State law defines a wilderness area as land which has retained its primeval character and is managed to preserve its natural conditions.
Current law requires the Resources Secretary and State Lands Commission to report to the Governor and the Legislature about the wilderness system and prospective additions each year. Each time new federal wilderness is designated in California, current law requires these agencies to review the appropriateness of a wilderness designation for adjacent state lands. Congress has designated millions of acres of federal wilderness in California, most recently in 2006 through legislation authored by Congressman Mike Thompson (D-St. Helena).
AB 2923 is supported by a range of groups, including the CA State Parks Foundation, Defenders of Wildlife, the Sierra Club, and Sonoma County Conservation Action. Sonoma County and Napa County also support the legislation. Further information is available online at http://www.leginfo.ca.gov.
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