congressional_record: CREC-2002-11-22-pt1-PgE2126-3
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| CREC-2002-11-22-pt1-PgE2126-3 | 2002-11-22 | 107 | 2 | PASSAGE OF H.R. 4750 | HOUSE | EXTENSIONS | ALLOTHER | E2126 | E2127 | [{"name": "Sam Farr", "role": "speaking"}] | [{"congress": "107", "type": "HR", "number": "4750"}, {"congress": "107", "type": "HR", "number": "4750"}] | 148 Cong. Rec. E2126 | Congressional Record, Volume 148 Issue 152 (Friday, November 22, 2002) [Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 152 (Friday, November 22, 2002)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Pages E2126-E2127] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] PASSAGE OF H.R. 4750 ______ HON. SAM FARR of california in the house of representatives Friday, November 22, 2002 Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to give sincere thanks to Chairman Hansen, Ranking Member Rahall and the staff of the Resources Committee for their efforts to move H.R. 4750 through this chamber in the final hours of the 107th Congress. I am pleased to inform you Mr. Speaker, that the other body has passed this legislation as well and it is on its way to the President. This legislation designates as wilderness more than 50,000 acres of land in the Central Coast of California, adding another jewel in the crown of Big Sur. Mr. Speaker, since this legislation passed without committee action, it was not possible to get a Committee Report so I want to inform you of my intentions in regard to H.R. 4750. The Big Sur region is a rough, wild, sparsely populated area full of scenic vistas and should be managed as such. In regard to wilderness fire management, it would be beneficial to have a management plan for the Ventana and Silver Peak areas prepared, following their designation as wilderness, that would authorize the Forest Supervisor of the Los Padres National Forest to take whatever appropriate actions are necessary for fire prevention and watershed protection. This would include, but not be limited to, acceptable fire presuppression and fire suppression measures and techniques. Any special provisions contained in the management plan for the Ventana and Silver Peak Wilderness areas should be incorporated in the planning for the Los Padres National Forest. This language is a slight modification of language enacted in 1977 as part of the legislation initially designating the Ventana wilderness area. The thought is that current language be as close to original language as possible. Local USFS staff have indicated that under normal agency procedures, the decision to utilize this existing authority would have to be made at the regional forester level or higher. The practical impact is that the existing authority has never been used. This language seeks to make the existing authority more useful by authorizing the decision at the forest supervisor level. Mr. Speaker, in regard to military training at Fort Hunter-Liggett, I suggest that we do nothing to preclude existing low level overflights of military aircraft, the designation of new units of special airspace, or the use or establishment of military flight training routes over wilderness areas. In regard to military access all non-motorized access to and use of the wilderness areas designated by this Act for military training should be permitted to continue in the same manner and degree as permitted prior to enactment, subject to reasonable regulation by the land manager. This language will apply to the proposed wilderness areas adjacent to Fort Hunter-Liggett. The non-motorized use language covers a variety of training activities that the military has undertaken in the National Forest. Currently, the two agencies have an MOU that governs such activities. I would encourage a new MOU be developed to account for the change to wilderness. Mr. Speaker, the Central Coast is a unique ecosystem in itself. For example, only in this area will you find giant redwoods growing in the same drainage as a yucca plant. Because of this great diversity our area faces constant assaults by invasive species. The spread of invasive species continues to inflict great damage to the Big Sur region's environment. Such plant species as South American pampas grass, genesta (French broom) from southern Europe, and cape ivy from South Africa have taken over large areas of the Big Sur region. In addition, a cross breed of ferral and wild pig has become very prolific in many areas of Big [[Page E2127]] Sur. These pigs plough up native plants which destroys habitat for native animals and opens the way for many non native plants to colonize the disturbed ground. On their own, each of these species has inflicted major adverse changes to the Big Sur landscape. Their combined assault has resulted in the displacement of entire native communities. Mr. Speaker, the federal government has invested millions of dollars in acquiring land for conservation in the Big Sur region. A program of this type would help prevent the ecological value of that investment from being destroyed. This region needs a program to target the eradication of invasive plant and animal species in the Monterey District of the Los Padres National Forest. In addition nearly private or other non USFS property where the property owner seeks the assistance and where the invasive species are present on that property pose a threat to national forest lands and should be included as well. Mr. Speaker, I want to see the transfer USFS land currently occupied by Pacific Valley School under special use permit to the Pacific Valley School District. The amount of land to be transferred should not exceed the school's existing footprint (approximately 5 acres). Also, the transfer should include reversionary language that would require transfer back to the Forest Service if the School District ever gave up use of the land. The Pacific Valley School serves the residents of the rural southern Big Sur Coast. It has approximately 40 students in grades K-8. The school has occupied a site on USFS property under a special use permit for approximately 35 years. The school itself consists of 6 portable buildings arranged on a series of concrete and asphalt pads. Over the years the school has had a good relationship with the Forest Service. The major problem is the inflexibility that the special use permit arrangement imposes on the school's site management. Generally, any changes the school wants to make to the site have to be cleared by the Forest Service. Even if a change, for example the addition of a student garden or replacing a set of building steps, may not need Forest Service approval, the uncertainty of whether it does have a chilling effect on any activity. This transfer is intended to resolve the potential conflict and release the USFS from acting as a school site manager. Finally, Mr. Speaker, I feel we should authorize the construction and maintenance of a new water line and corresponding spring box improvements adjacent to an existing domestic water service in the Silver Peak Wilderness Area in the Los Padres National Forest. The water system in question serves two adjacent properties located just outside the existing Silver Peak Wilderness Area boundary established in 1992. Both parcels are 10 acres and are located in the west \1/4\ of the south \1/4\ of the southwest \1/4\ of the southeast \1/4\ of section 14 in township 24 south, range 5 east, MDB&M. Both parcels have drawn water from the same spring for over 40 years. A single pipeline runs from the spring box located in the wilderness and delivers water to the two parcels in succession. The 1992 act creating the Silver Peak Wilderness Area grand-fathered this system into the wilderness. However, Monterey County ordinances now implementing state and federal law treat the system as a water distribution system which requires it to comply with the treatment and storage needs of a larger system serving multi-households. The owners of the two parcels want to lay a new separate pipeline alongside the existing line so that they become two separate individual systems and thus free of the cost of complying with the multiple hook-up requirements. Mr. Speaker, I once again want to thank all those that made passage of this legislation possible. Protection of these resources is of great benefit to all. ____________________ |