BILL ANALYSIS Ó
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ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AJR
4 (Dodd)
As Amended February 3, 2015
Majority vote
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|Committee |Votes |Ayes |Noes |
|----------------+------+--------------------+--------------------|
|Water |10-4 |Levine, Dodd, |Dahle, Beth Gaines, |
| | |Cristina Garcia, |Gallagher, Harper |
| | |Gomez, Gray, Lopez, | |
| | |Medina, Rendon, | |
| | |Ridley-Thomas, | |
| | |Williams | |
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SUMMARY: Urges the President of the United States and the
Secretary of the United States Department of the Interior
(Secretary) to designate the area known as the Berryessa Snow
Mountain region as the Berryessa Snow Mountain National
Monument. Specifically, this resolution:
1)Makes legislative findings and declarations regarding the
Berryessa Snow Mountain region, including the many natural and
recreational values of the public lands in the region, and the
recreational opportunities, water resources and economic
benefits it provides;
2)Urges that the President and the Secretary protect and
preserve the Berryessa Snow Mountain region for current and
future generations by designating the region as a national
monument;
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3)Urges the Secretary to consult with an area advisory council
consisting of representatives from Napa, Lake, Yolo,
Mendocino, and Solano County Boards of Supervisors, the
California Natural Resources Agency, and a representative of
Native American Tribes;
4)States that in designating the region as a national monument
the Secretary should take into consideration existing land
uses, including grazing, on the federal lands within the
region, that the designation does not require nonfederal
property owners to allow public access to private property, or
modify any law with respect to use of nonfederal land, and
that any acquisition of nonfederal land within the National
Monument come only from a willing seller;
5)Directs the Chief Clerk of the Assembly to transmit copies of
this resolution to the President and Vice President of the
United States and to the Secretary.
EXISTING LAW: Under federal law, gives the President of the
United States the power to designate public lands as National
Monuments through executive order.
FISCAL EFFECT: None. This resolution is nonbinding and is
keyed non-fiscal by the Legislative Counsel.
COMMENTS: The Berryessa Snow Mountain region encompasses
350,000 acres of public lands stretching over 100 miles from
Lake Berryessa to Snow Mountain in Napa County, and includes
portions of Mendocino, Lake, Solano and Yolo Counties. The area
is known for its biological diversity, providing habitat for
numerous wildlife species, including but not limited to, bald
and golden eagles, black bears, mountain lions, tule elk, river
otters and Pacific fisher. The author notes that the region's
geographical proximity to the Bay Area and Sacramento makes it a
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major destination for outdoor recreation that is accessible to
millions of Californians. One recent study of 17 National
Monuments found that local economies surrounding all of them
expanded following their creation. An economic analysis of the
proposed Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument found it had
the potential to generate a gain of nearly $50 million in
economic activity and over $800,000 in tax revenue for local
communities during the five year period after designation.
This resolution urges the President of the United States (U.S.)
to declare the Berryessa Snow Mountain region a National
Monument. A National Monument is a permanent public land
designation that can either be established through legislation
passed by Congress, or by the President, acting without
Congress, under the authority provided by the federal
Antiquities Act. Designation of an area as a National Monument
protects the natural, cultural, or historical resources of a
landscape in perpetuity. As a National Monument, the area would
be managed by one or more federal agencies, which may include
the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the
National Forest Service, or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
This resolution, in urging the designation as a National
Monument, also urges the President and the Secretary to consult
an area advisory council consisting of representatives from
local counties, the California Natural Resources Agency, and
Native American tribes, to consider existing land uses such as
grazing on federal lands within the region, and that any
acquisition of nonfederal land within the National Monument
occur only through willing sellers.
On February 5, 2015, U.S. Senators Barbara Boxer and Dianne
Feinstein introduced Senate Bill 393 and U.S. Representatives
Mike Thompson, John Garamendi, and Jared Huffman introduced
House Resolution 761. Both measures seek to designate the
region as the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument to
preserve, protect and enhance the ecological, scenic, wildlife,
recreational, cultural, historical, natural, educational and
scientific resources of the lands included in the area for the
benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations. These
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actions follow unsuccessful attempts in two prior sessions of
Congress to designate the area.
Supporters note that the benefits of national monument
designation for the region include conserving federally-owned
public lands for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future
generations; including the lands as part of the National
Landscape Conservation System, which would qualify the region to
benefit from any federal appropriations or grant programs for
that system; allow for collaborative landscape-level management
planning by federal agencies for the lands in the monument;
allow for local input through the advisory council; and provide
local economic benefits by raising the profile of the area.
Opponents do not think the area deserves designation as a
National Monument and are concerned such designation will add
additional layers of red tape to those who have to work with
state and federal agencies for grazing, mining, and other
projects.
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Analysis Prepared by: Tina Cannon-Leahy / W., P., & W. / (916)
319-2096 FN:
0000033