National Park Status?

3 Oct

National Park Status for the Rose Bowl?

Loss of Water Control for Local Jurisdictions?

Recent actions by Adam Schiff (Rim of the Valley expansion) and Judy Chu (San Gabriel Watershed and Mountains expansion) have blind-sided municipal and county leadership and could quickly pull Pasadena’s San Rafael Hills, the Arroyo and the Verdugo Mountains into the National Park system. (see map).

RIM Map Corridor 2

(To see the targeted area closer, go to: http://www.nps.gov/pwro/rimofthevalley/Cities_11x17.pdf

Then, click on the + sign to zoom in to the San Rafael neighborhoods.)

Unable to succeed with legislation in congressional committee, Congresswoman. Chu (with companion efforts by Congressman Schiff) has requested authorization by Executive Order to nationalize over 600,000 acres – from Santa Clarita, to Santa Monica, to San Bernardino – to include parts of the Santa Monica Mountains, the San Gabriel Mountains, the Verdugo Mountains and the San Rafael Hills.

Relying on tenuous rationale from the Antiquities Act (1906) to designate this encompassing area a “National Monument,” such a federal land grab would include much of the San Gabriel River watershed, portions of the Los Angeles River, the Santa Clara River and the Antelope Valley watersheds. Presently, local cities rely on local control for water management and delivery from these sources.

With new National Monument status, oversight of the area is anticipated to be in the hands of a federally-appointed, yet-to-be-determined “Committee of 38.” The plan to be administered by this Committee does not yet exist and is expected to be released approximately three years following authorization by Executive Order.

Ms. Chu is on record disclaiming any guarantee of funding. To date, there is no budget. Boundaries (maps) continue to shift and terms affecting local jurisdictions have not been deliberated.

Senator Dianne Feinstein reportedly has expressed reservations to the strained use of the Antiquities Act for this fast-paced, federal land grab.

As Pasadenans rip-out sod and conserve water to comply with local drought advisories, Congresswoman Chu will hold a press conference Monday, October 6th, (Pasadena District Office, 527 S. Lake Ave., Suite 106) to propose a new layer of yet-to-be-determined federal controls with undefined local implications.

If you are of similar mind in objecting to this undefined federal intrusion, please attend Congresswoman Chu’s press conference on Monday and/or say so in the following places:

Congressman Adam Schiff

http://schiff.house.gov/contact-me

202-225-4176

323-315-5555

 Congresswoman Judy Chu

http://chu.house.gov/connect-with-me/email-judy

202-225-5464

626-304-0110

Senator Dianne Feinstein

 https://www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/e-mail-me

202-224-3841

310-914-7300

Assemblyman Chris Holden

 https://lcmspubcontact.lc.ca.gov/PublicLCMS/ContactPopup.php?district=AD41

916-319-2041

626-351-1917

For more information go to:

http://www.nps.gov/pwro/rimofthevalley/

http://www.nps.gov/pwro/sangabriel/

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