America's Historical and Natural Legacy Study Act

Floor Speech

SPEECH OF
HON. ADAM B. SCHIFF
OF CALIFORNIA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2007

* Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3998, ``America's Historical and Natural Legacy Study Act.'' At the outset, I want to thank Chairman Rahall and Chairman Grijalva for bringing this bill to the floor and for their work in crafting a broad package of studies that will help us to preserve our natural and historical heritage.

* In particular, I am pleased that the Chairmen included a study of the Rim of the Valley Corridor in southern California. This bill is an important milestone in my 7-year effort to direct the Department of the Interior to study alternatives for protecting the mountains and canyons in southern California that are part of the Rim of the Valley Corridor, as designated by the State of California.

* This environmentally sensitive area is located in one of the most densely populated areas in the United States. The greater southern California metropolitan region has the Nation's second-largest urban concentration; about 1 in every 10 Americans lives in this region. At the same time, this area has one of the lowest ratios of park-and-recreation-lands per thousand-population of any area in the country. So this rapidly growing urban region is extremely underserved in terms of open space needs. Unless action is taken soon, this situation will only worsen as the region continues to grow.

* The Rim of the Valley Corridor is an ecologically significant, contiguous region that consists of parts of the Santa Monica Mountains, Santa Susanna Mountains, San Gabriel Mountains, Verdugo Mountains, San Rafael Hills, and adjacent connector areas to the Los Padres and San Bernadino National Forests. This corridor system is an example of the world's most endangered habitat area, the Mediterranean chaparral ecosystem.

* Parts of the Rim of the Valley Corridor are already managed within the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area and the Angeles National Forest. Yet, with increasing development and population pressures, the future of the Corridor is threatened. It is in danger of becoming reduced to isolated pockets of open space, irreversibly destroying its connectivity. The contiguous nature of these open spaces is potentially critical to help preserve the integrity of its ecosystems.

* The State of California has adopted the Rim of the Valley Master Plan, and local governments within the Rim of the Valley Corridor have made significant progress toward protecting the unique natural and recreational resources of the area. However, these efforts have been hampered by a lack of financial resources, technical assistance, and resource management expertise that can only be provided by the Federal Government.

* Since Congress set aside the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Areas in 1978, federal, state and local authorities have worked in remarkable cooperation to manage what is the world's largest urban park. Now, nearly three decades later and in the face of tremendous projected population growth and development pressures, Congress, by passing this bill, again will have the opportunity to study ways to help safeguard and supplement the existing state and local parks, open space and recreational opportunities in southern California.

* I hope that the Congress will seize the opportunity to order the Department of Interior to study of alternatives for protecting some of the most beautiful land in southern California for future generations of Americans to enjoy. The Rim of the Valley is a special place and we owe it to our children to develop a long-range plan that will balance preservation, recreation, and the needs and rights of those living in and around the area to be studied.

* Again, Chairman Rahall and Chairman Grijalva, thank you for your support for the Rim of the Valley Corridor study and for all of your work to preserve America's natural splendor.

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