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“CALIFORNIA COASTAL NATIONAL MONUMENT EXPANSION ACT OF 2013” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Commerce was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H4833-H4836 on July 22, 2013.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
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CALIFORNIA COASTAL NATIONAL MONUMENT EXPANSION ACT OF 2013
Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1411) to include the Point Arena-Stornetta Public Lands in the California Coastal National Monument as a part of the National Landscape Conservation System, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 1411
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; DEFINITIONS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``California Coastal National Monument Expansion Act of 2013''.
(b) Definitions.--In this Act:
(1) Map.--The term ``map'' means the map created by the Bureau of Land Management, entitled ``California Coastal National Monument Addition'' and dated September 15, 2012.
(2) Monument.--The term ``Monument'' means the California Coastal National Monument established by Presidential Proclamation 7264.
(3) Point arena-stornetta public lands.--The term ``Point Arena-Stornetta Public Lands'' means the Federal land comprising approximately 1,255 acres in Mendocino County, California, as generally depicted on the map.
(4) Presidential proclamation 7264.--The term
``Presidential Proclamation 7264'' means Presidential Proclamation Number 7264, dated January 11, 2000 (65 Fed. Reg. 2821).
(5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of the Interior.
SEC. 2. PURPOSE.
The purpose of this Act is to protect, conserve, and enhance for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations the unique and nationally important historical, natural, cultural, scientific, educational, scenic, economic and recreational values of the Point Arena-Stornetta Public Lands, while allowing certain recreational, research and traditional ecomomic activities or uses, such as grazing, to continue.
SEC. 3. EXPANSION OF CALIFORNIA COASTAL NATIONAL MONUMENT.
(a) In General.--The boundary of the Monument established by Presidential Proclamation 7264 is expanded to include the Federal land shown on the map.
(b) Map and Legal Description.--
(1) In general.--As soon as practicable after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall file with the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives a map and boundary description of land added to the Monument by this Act.
(2) Force and effect.--The map and boundary description filed under paragraph (1) shall have the same force and effect as if included in this Act, except that the Secretary may correct any minor errors in the map and boundary descriptions.
(3) Availability of map and boundary description.--The map and boundary description filed under paragraph (1) shall be on file and available for public inspection in appropriate offices of the Bureau of Land Management.
SEC. 4. ADMINISTRATION.
(a) In General.--The Secretary shall manage the land added to the Monument by this Act--
(1) as a part of the Monument; and
(2) in accordance with Presidential Proclamation 7264, except that--
(A) traditional economic activities and existing uses, such as grazing and the maintenance of existing structures that are used for grazing, shall not be restricted; and
(B) lands and interests in land within the proposed land addition not owned by the United States shall not be part of the monument and the future acquisition of those lands and interests in lands by the United States may occur only through donation or exchange with the written consent of the landowner.
(b) Management Plan.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall finalize an amendment to the Monument management plan for the long-term protection and management of the land added to the Monument by this Act.
(2) Requirements.--The plan amendment shall--
(A) be developed with an opportunity for full public participation; and
(B) describe the appropriate uses and management of the land consistent with this Act.
(c) Motorized and Mechanized Transport.--Except as needed for emergency or authorized administrative purposes, the use of motorized and mechanized vehicles in the Monument shall be permitted only on roads and trails designated for that use.
(d) Incorporation of Land and Interests.--
(1) Authority.--The Secretary may acquire non-Federal land or interests in land within or adjacent to the land added to the Monument by this Act only through exchange, or donation with the written consent of the landowner, and such non-Federal land shall not be included within the boundaries of the Monument absent written consent of the landowner.
(2) Management.--Any land or interests in land within or adjacent to the land added to the Monument by this Act acquired by the United States after the date of enactment of this Act shall be added to and administered as part of the Monument.
(3) Access to private property.--The addition of lands under this Act to the Monument may not result in a lack of or restricted access by motorized vehicle to any non-Federal lands within the Monument.
(e) Overflights.--Nothing in this Act--
(1) restricts or precludes overflights, including low-level overflights or military, commercial, and general aviation overflights that can be seen or heard within the land added to the Monument by this Act;
(2) restricts or precludes the designation or creation of new units of special use airspace or the establishment of military flight training routes over the land added to the Monument by this Act; or
(3) modifies regulations governing low-level overflights above the adjacent Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary.
(f) Law Enforcement.--Nothing in this Act effects the law enforcement authorities of the Department of Homeland Security.
(g) Native American Uses.--Nothing in this Act enlarges, diminishes, or modifies the rights of any Indian tribe or Indian religious community.
(h) Buffer Zones.--
(1) In general.--The expansion of the Monument is not intended to lead to the establishment of protective perimeters or buffer zones around the land included in the Monument by this Act.
(2) Activities outside the monument.--The fact that activities outside the Monument can be seen or heard within the land added to the Monument by this Act shall not, of itself, preclude those activities or uses up to the boundary of the Monument.
(i) Grazing.--Nothing in this Act affects the grazing of livestock and the maintenance of existing structures that are used for grazing within the Point Arena-Stornetta Public Lands or the Monument.
(j) National Landscape Conservation System.--The Secretary shall manage the Monument as part of the National Landscape Conservation System.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Hastings) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Huffman) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Washington.
General Leave
Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Washington?
There was no objection.
Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
H.R. 1411 would add 1,255 acres of the Point Arena-Stornetta Public Lands to the California Coastal National Monument, which was created by Presidential Proclamation 7264 in January of 2000.
The Stornetta family, the namesake of this area being annexed into the monument, grazes cattle in this area, so it is imperative that grazing continues and is compatible with the long-term protection and management of the monument. Public land grazers in Arizona, Montana, and Utah have already been targeted by a few antigrazing zealots who want to litigate to extinction the legitimate and long-standing practice of grazing in national monuments.
During committee consideration of H.R. 1411, an amendment was adopted to ensure that traditional economic activities and uses, such as grazing, will be allowed to continue once the Point Arena-Stornetta Public Lands are added to the California Coastal National Monument. It also limited future land acquisitions to only those done by donations or exchange, thereby preventing any unnecessary taxpayer expense. Private property rights were also protected by ensuring motorized vehicle access to any non-Federal lands within the monument and requiring written consent from the landowners before their property can be included in the monument.
The bill includes provisions preventing restrictions on military or commercial low-level overflights and training activities, and also on Department of Homeland Security law enforcement activities, other routine provisions protecting activities outside of the designation, and prohibiting the creation of buffer zones.
I think these conditions are the right conditions when you take land for other uses, and I support this legislation.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
(Mr. HUFFMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. HUFFMAN. I am honored to rise in support of my first piece of legislation as a Member of Congress: H.R. 1411. This bill will add Mendocino's Point Arena-Stornetta Public Lands to the California Coastal National Monument.
Those of my colleagues who have visited the Mendocino coast appreciate the true unspoiled beauty of this region, and understand why it's so important to protect it for future generations.
This bill will preserve a complex and fragile ecosystem on the Mendocino coast, approximately 130 miles north of San Francisco. It will serve as the first land-based addition to the California Coastal National Monument. It will also add 10 miles of connectivity to the California Coastal Trail.
The Point Arena-Stornetta Public Lands encompass 1,255 acres of pristine coastal wetlands, including habitat for several endangered species. The bill will also protect the Garcia River estuary and 2 miles of the Garcia River itself. This river is critical habitat for coho salmon and steelhead. In addition, we will maintain the existing ranching, recreation, and research uses of this land, preserving much of it as a sustainable working landscape.
But safeguarding this national treasure isn't just good for the environment; it is also good for the economy. Environmental tourism is critical to the economy of the north coast of California, and expanding the Coastal National Monument will bring new visitors and new economic activity.
Tourism is already the number one source of jobs on the Mendocino coast. We get close to 2 million annual visitors in the region, and that supports more than 5,000 jobs and generates more than $110 million in economic activity annually. The Point Arena-Stornetta Public Lands are a perfect gateway for visitors to experience the California Coastal National Monument. That is one of the reasons why the effort to protect this amazing stretch of the Mendocino coast has such broad public support from State and local elected officials to the Manchester-Point Arena Band of Pomo Indians, conservation groups across the country, and business and civic leaders in the community. In addition, hundreds of individuals in this rural area have expressed their support by way of petition.
My friend and predecessor in representing the north coast in Congress, Congressman Mike Thompson, initiated the effort to protect this area in the last Congress, and I am very pleased that he is joining me as a cosponsor of this bill.
I am also very appreciative of the support of the chairman of the Natural Resources Committee, Chairman Doc Hastings, and also of the newest Member of our Senate and our former ranking Democrat, Ed Markey.
In addition, I want to thank Chairman Bishop and Ranking Member Grijalva of the Public Lands Subcommittee for not only hearing the bill, but for inviting my constituent, Scott Schneider, who is president and CEO of Visit Mendocino, to come and testify in support of this legislation.
This bill was reported by the Natural Resources Committee by unanimous consent, and I am grateful that we have come so far to preserve this iconic landscape.
I look forward to continuing to work with the committee, with Senators Boxer and Feinstein, and with my colleagues to ensure that we fully and permanently protect this magnificent coastline.
I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 1411, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. I have no more requests for time.
I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from the Northern Mariana Islands (Mr. Sablan).
Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time.
From his days in the California State House and now here in Congress, Congressman Jared Huffman has been a leader in protecting our valuable natural resources. H.R. 1411 is a fine example of this commitment and office leadership. Congressman Huffman's bill incorporates the area known as the Point Arena-Stornetta Public Lands into the California Coastal National Monument.
The bill gives permanent protection to 1,255 acres of wetlands along the Mendocino County coast. The area provides habitat for endangered species, including the Point Arena mountain beaver and the Behren's silverspot butterfly. The Garcia River running through it shelters steelhead and silver and king salmon.
While I have the floor, I also want to commend Congressman Huffman for his efforts to protect sharks. In the California Legislature, Congressman Huffman wrote the law banning wasteful trade in shark fins. Here in Congress, he led the effort to protest when the Commerce Department proposed regulations preempting State laws against shark finning.
The Northern Mariana Islands, which I represent, has enacted a similar law. So along with other Members who respect State authority, I cosigned Congressman Huffman's letter asking NOAA to withdraw its proposed regulation.
Again, I commend Mr. Huffman for his dedication to protecting our natural resources, and I ask all my colleagues to support H.R. 1411.
Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. HUFFMAN. I thank the gentleman from the Northern Mariana Islands.
Mr. Speaker, I would yield as much time as he may consume to my colleague, the gentleman from Monterey, California (Mr. Farr).
Mr. FARR. I thank Mr. Huffman for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate the committee and Chairman Doc Hastings on bringing this bill to the floor.
I was instrumental in creating the Coastal National Monument along the California coastline. It had to be done by executive order because we couldn't get the bills out of committee. I just really appreciate the fact that the committee is concentrating on this, because a lot of these things that people kind of argue against they don't realize what the positive unintended consequences are.
What this bill does is it really talks about management of land. As the chairman pointed out, the substance of the bill allows the private enterprise, the agriculture to continue, and to have it in a way that is going to be cost-effective management. This is a win-win for the private sector and for the public sector.
In many cases, the Bureau of Land Management is a very effective land manager. It essentially, in the West, has a lot of the land that actually was never picked up by Forest Service. When you think of Forest Service, you think of timbering or mining and those kinds of things, or land that qualified for the National Park System as kind of the leftover lands of the westward expansion. They have a lot of land management responsibility and know-how.
The California coastline is the number one attraction and the number one engine. It is the whole engine of California. Most of the cities and stuff are all along the coast. So any time you add to ability to expand access--we sometimes forget in Congress that the number one activity of interest in this country is watchable wildlife. More people watch wildlife, whether it is in the movies or channels or buy gear to go out, than watch all the national sports. It is huge business and it is jobs. In the rural area, this is key to job development.
Since we've created the Coastal National Monument, we have had little towns and counties in the rural area that have been identifying the rocks, all of which have historical names from families or shipwrecks. Now it gives some attraction to it, some historical attraction, which people love to learn about. It has been a great educational tool to teach us about this 1,100-mile coastline in California sort of inch by inch.
This addition is going to be able to build more opportunity for job creation, as people want to hire people to give them access, want to buy pictures, want to buy books, want to buy art that's made from it.
So I really commend the committee on realizing that these things are responsible job development jobs, not just government ownership of land. When you say, well, it is taking it off the private tax rolls, remember, this is a private interest that wanted to sell it to a public system. Those lands will pay taxes in lieu of property taxes, PIL taxes. It will continue the economy of the area. But for the local area--this is pretty rural California, really rural--this will just be a huge economic boon tool.
I compliment Mr. Huffman. This is the first bill he has brought to the floor. I hope he brings more. He is a very able Member of Congress. He proved a great member of the California State Legislature.
Mr. Hastings, thank you for providing the leadership to get these bills to the floor so that we can have an opportunity to vote on them.
I urge an ``aye'' vote.
Mr. HUFFMAN. I thank the gentleman and yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, this is a good piece of legislation. I urge my colleagues to adopt it, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Hastings) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1411, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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