[Water_news] 3. DWR'S CALIFORNIA WATER NEWS: WATERSHEDS - 1/26/09

Department of Water Resources

California Water News

A daily compilation of significant news articles and comment

 

January 26, 2009

 

 

3. Watersheds –

 

Editorial: A milestone for wilderness areas

Sacramento Bee – 1/26/09

 

In these difficult economic times, Americans need places of solitude where they can get back to the basics.

 

These places are known as wilderness – public lands that are free of roads and machinery and beckon to hikers, horseback riders and anglers.

 

Fortunately, Congress is close to passing legislation that would designate more than 2 million acres of new wilderness, including 700,000 acres in California.

The result of years of hard negotiations, these wilderness designations are part of an omnibus lands bill the Senate passed two weeks ago. It now goes to the House, where lawmakers should quickly approve it and send it to President Obama for his signature.

 

Californians who cherish the outdoors will have much to celebrate if this package passes.

 

Wildlands on the border of Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks would all be protected. Some 105 miles of streams would become wild and scenic rivers.

 

Within a day's drive of Sacramento, perhaps the biggest prize is a proposed 79,000-acre addition to the Hoover Wilderness near Bridgeport in Mono County. This proposed addition includes dozens of alpine lakes and meadows, and is the product of a remarkable compromise.

 

For decades, conservationists had clashed with users of snowmobiles in this area. Environmentalists sought to ban snowmobiles from a wide expanse, but were unsuccessful.

 

Finally, in 2005, the various groups sat down to hammer out a deal. As a result of this trade-off, snowmobile groups would get 11,000 acres of new winter recreation areas. Conservationists would realize their dream of permanently protecting meadows and lakes with an expansion of the Hoover Wilderness.

 

Such accommodations had to be worked out for many of the public lands in the omnibus package. Here in California, credit goes to a bipartisan group that includes U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer and Reps. Howard "Buck" McKeon (R-Santa Clarita), Devin Nunes (R-Tulare), Jim Costa (D-Fresno) and Mary Bono Mack (R-Palm Springs).

 

With 160 separate bills, this omnibus package surely includes some pork and other lamentable projects, such as a road through a wildlife refuge in Alaska. But it also includes some vital investments, such as restoration of the San Joaquin River. That's another reason the House should send it to Obama with little delay. #

http://www.sacbee.com/opinion/story/1572663.html

 

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