[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2715 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2715

To direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resources 
 study to evaluate the suitability and feasibility of establishing the 
  Rim of the Valley Corridor as a unit of the Santa Monica Mountains 
                       National Recreation Area.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             August 2, 2001

  Mr. Schiff (for himself, Mr. McKeon, Mr. Berman, Mr. Gallegly, Mr. 
  Sherman, Ms. Solis, and Mr. Dreier) introduced the following bill; 
            which was referred to the Committee on Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resources 
 study to evaluate the suitability and feasibility of establishing the 
  Rim of the Valley Corridor as a unit of the Santa Monica Mountains 
                       National Recreation Area.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Rim of the Valley Corridor Study 
Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds the following:
            (1) The greater Southern California metropolitan region is 
        the second largest urban concentration in the United States, 
        with almost one-tenth of the total population of the country, 
        yet it has one of the lowest ratios of park-and-recreation-
        lands-per-thousand-population of any urban area in the country. 
        Unless action is taken soon, this situation will only become 
        worse as the region continues to be subjected to intense 
        growth.
            (2) The lack of park, recreation, natural open space, and 
        habitat protection in close proximity to the greater Southern 
        California metropolitan region deprives the individuals who 
        reside there of--
                    (A) the health and spiritual welfare benefits of 
                proximity to nature; and
                    (B) the quantifiable benefits of reduced crime, 
                lower social tension, and increased educational 
                opportunities that are associated with the provision of 
                open space in geographic proximity to and accessible to 
                urban populations.
            (3) The Rim of the Valley Corridor encircling the San 
        Fernando and La Crescenta valleys provides important scenic, 
        environmental, recreational, educational, scientific, and 
        economic assets to the greater Southern California metropolitan 
        region. These assets are deserving of increased protection so 
        that they can continue to provide public benefit in the 21st 
        century and beyond.
            (4) The Rim of the Valley Corridor, consisting 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 Bernardino 
        National Forests, contains significant examples of--
                    (A) the world's most endangered habitat area, the 
                Mediterranean chaparral ecosystem; and
                    (B) significant examples of separate ecotones 
                indigenous to the area.
            (5) A key element of the Rim of the Valley Corridor is the 
        escarpment of the San Gabriel Mountains that is largely 
        contained within the Angeles National Forest. That national 
        forest is primarily managed for watershed, recreational, and 
        habitat values and not for commercial exploitation of forest 
        resources.
            (6) Privately owned lands within the Rim of the Valley 
        Corridor are critical to providing additional scenic, 
        environmental, recreational, and open space values. These lands 
        should be brought within public protection through the use of 
        voluntary incentives, respecting at all times the legitimate 
        private property values of existing property owners.
            (7) 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 be provided by the Federal 
        Government.

SEC. 3. STUDY OF RIM OF THE VALLEY CORRIDOR FOR ESTABLISHMENT AS UNIT 
              OF THE SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS NATIONAL RECREATION AREA.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of the Interior shall conduct a 
special resource study of the lands, waters, and interests of the area 
comprising the Rim of the Valley Corridor in Southern California, as 
depicted on the maps on file on June 15, 2001, in the office of the 
Secretary of the State of California pursuant to Division 23 of the 
California Public Resources Code (section 33000 et seq.).
    (b) Study Topics.--The study shall evaluate the national 
significance of the area and the suitability and feasibility of 
establishing it as a unit of the Santa Monica Mountains National 
Recreation Area of the National Park System.
    (c) Criteria.--In conducting the study authorized by this section, 
the Secretary shall use the criteria for the study of areas for 
potential inclusion in the National Park System contained in section 8 
of Public Law 91-383 (16 U.S.C. 1a-5).
    (d) Consultation.--In conducting the study authorized by this 
section, the Secretary shall regularly consult with the Rim of the 
Valley Corridor and Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area 
Advisory Committee established by section 4.

SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established the Rim of the Valley 
Corridor and Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area Advisory 
Committee (in this section referred to as the ``Committee'').
    (b) Recommendation of Boundaries for Expanded Recreation Area.--
            (1) In general.--The Committee shall--
                    (A) advise the Secretary of the Interior regarding 
                the conduct of the study under section 3; and
                    (B) recommend to the Secretary of the Interior 
                boundaries for a Santa Monica Mountains and Rim of the 
                Valley National Recreation Area.
            (2) Boundary requirements.--The boundaries recommended by 
        the Committee shall--
                    (A) reflect the boundaries of the Santa Monica 
                Mountains National Recreation Area, as in effect on the 
                date of the enactment of this Act; and
                    (B) generally include the lands, waters, and 
                interests comprising the Rim of the Valley Corridor as 
                depicted on the maps as on file on June 15, 2001, in 
                the office of the Secretary of the State of California 
                pursuant to Division 23 of the California Public 
                Resources Code (section 33000 et seq.).
            (3) Submission.--The Committee shall--
                    (A) submit a recommendation to the Secretary of the 
                Interior under this subsection within 365 days after 
                the first meeting of the Committee; and
                    (B) include in the recommendation maps depicting 
                the boundaries proposed for a Santa Monica Mountains 
                and Rim of the Valley National Recreation Area.
            (4) Public participation.--The Committee shall provide 
        opportunities for public participation in and comment on the 
        recommendation of boundaries under this subsection.
    (c) Membership.--The Committee consists of 24 members appointed by 
the Secretary of the Interior, as follows:
            (1) 17 representatives of local governments having 
        jurisdiction over areas in the vicinity of the recreation area, 
        of whom one shall be nominated by each of--
                    (A) the mayor of the city of Los Angeles;
                    (B) the board of supervisors of the county of Los 
                Angeles;
                    (C) the board of supervisors of the county of 
                Ventura;
                    (D) the city council of the city of Thousand Oaks;
                    (E) the city council of the city of Agoura Hills;
                    (F) the city council of the city of Westlake 
                Village;
                    (G) the city council of the city of Malibu;
                    (H) the city council of the city of Calabasas;
                    (I) the city council of the city of Burbank;
                    (J) the city council of the city of Glendale;
                    (K) the city council of the city of La Canada-
                Flintridge;
                    (L) the city council of the city of Pasadena;
                    (M) the city council of the city of Sierra Madre;
                    (N) the city council of the city of South Pasadena;
                    (O) the city council of the city of Santa Clarita;
                    (P) the city council of the city of Moorpark; and
                    (Q) the board of supervisors of Los Angeles county 
                to represent the unincorporated communities within the 
                jurisdiction of the East Rim of the Valley Trail 
                Corridor, after consultation with the Town Council of 
                Altadena and the Crescenta Valley Town Council.
            (2) The Superintendent of the Santa Monica Mountains 
        National Recreation Area, or a designee of such Superintendent.
            (3) The Supervisor of the Angeles National Forest, or a 
        designee of such Supervisor.
            (4) The Superintendent of the Angeles District of the State 
        of California Department of Parks and Recreation, or a designee 
        of such Superintendent.
            (5) The Director of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, 
        or a designee of such Director.
            (6) One representative of the Rancho Simi Recreation and 
        Park District, nominated by the Board of Directors of such 
        district.
            (7) One representative of the Conejo Recreation and Park 
        District, nominated by the Board of Directors of such district.
            (8) One representative of the Pleasant Valley Recreation 
        and Park District, nominated by the Board of Directors of such 
        district.
    (d) Chairperson and Vice Chairperson.--The Committee shall select 
from among its members a chairperson and a vice chairperson.
    (e) Compensation and Expenses.--The members of the Committee shall 
serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed by the Secretary of 
the Interior for necessary expenses incurred in the performance of 
their duties.
    (f) Quorum.--13 members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum 
for the transaction of any business.
    (g) Termination.--The Committee shall terminate upon the submittal 
by the Secretary of the special resources study under section 3 to the 
Congress.
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