California Coastal National Monument Expansion Act of 2013

Floor Speech

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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.

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