[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 639 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 639

Honoring the success of the more-than-a-decade-long process by Southern 
    California locals to create the San Gabriel Mountains National 
                               Monument.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            December 1, 2017

Mrs. Napolitano (for herself, Ms. Judy Chu of California, Mrs. Torres, 
Mr. Schiff, Ms. Brownley of California, Mr. Lowenthal, Ms. Sanchez, Ms. 
 Roybal-Allard, and Ms. Barragan) submitted the following resolution; 
        which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Honoring the success of the more-than-a-decade-long process by Southern 
    California locals to create the San Gabriel Mountains National 
                               Monument.

Whereas in the early 2000s conservation organizations pushed for greater 
        protections of the San Gabriel Mountains;
Whereas out of this grew the San Gabriel Mountains Forever Group (now known as 
        Nature for All), which organized extensive public outreach campaigns and 
        coordination efforts among State agencies, local officials, and other 
        relevant stakeholders;
Whereas, in 2003, Congresswoman Hilda Solis introduced legislation that required 
        the National Park Service to determine if the area of the San Gabriel 
        Mountains was nationally significant and to determine if a special 
        designation would benefit the San Gabriel Mountains;
Whereas Solis' legislation generated over 10,000 favorable comments and received 
        the backing of water agencies and the San Gabriel Valley Council of 
        Governments;
Whereas Republican Congressman David Dreier, in 2011, and Democratic 
        Congresswoman Judy Chu, in 2014, introduced bipartisan legislation to 
        further protect the mountains;
Whereas top officials from the Department of the Interior and the Department of 
        Agriculture held listening sessions in the area of the San Gabriel 
        Mountains in 2010 and a town hall in 2014;
Whereas, in October 2014, President Barack Obama permanently protected the San 
        Gabriel Mountains by designating it as a National Monument under the 
        authority granted by the Antiquities Act of 1906 (54 U.S.C. 320301 et 
        seq.);
Whereas the San Gabriel Mountains attract millions of visitors each year and 
        provide two-thirds of the open space within the densely populated Los 
        Angeles County;
Whereas the San Gabriel Mountains are some of the steepest and most rugged 
        mountains in the United States;
Whereas the designation of the San Gabriel Mountains as a National Monument 
        aimed to preserve miles of streams and hiking trails for people to enjoy 
        for decades to come;
Whereas the designation of the San Gabriel Mountains as a National Monument 
        protects significant natural features, such as--

    (1) approximately 300 California species and subspecies, including 
Pierson's lupine and San Gabriel bedstraw, that occur only in the San 
Gabriel range;

    (2) 53 plants listed as sensitive by the Forest Service; and

    (3) one of the very few habitats of the critically endangered 
California condor;

Whereas the designation of the San Gabriel Mountains as a National Monument 
        protects significant scientific features, such as--

    (1) the Mount Wilson Observatory, where Edwin Hubble observed that the 
Universe extends beyond the Milky Way;

    (2) a convenient access point to study earthquake data from the San 
Andreas Fault; and

    (3) the San Dimas Experimental Forest which is used to document and 
quantify the water cycle in semi-arid steeplands;

Whereas the designation of the San Gabriel Mountains as a National Monument 
        protects significant cultural features, such as more than 600 known 
        archaeological sites, including several on the National Register of 
        Historic Places;
Whereas the designation of the San Gabriel Mountains as a National Monument has 
        helped San Gabriel Valley communities leverage additional Federal 
        dollars and private donations to help to clean up and restore green 
        space;
Whereas, prior to the designation of the San Gabriel Mountains as a National 
        Monument, the San Gabriel Mountains were already part of the federally 
        managed Angeles National Forest;
Whereas, concurrently with the 2014 designation of the San Gabriel Mountains as 
        a National Monument, the San Gabriel Mountains Community Collaborative 
        was launched to maintain an open line of communication and partnership 
        with the Forest Service;
Whereas the San Gabriel Mountains Community Collaborative includes water 
        companies, local elected officials, county officials, recreation groups, 
        and residents;
Whereas the monument designation was supported by members of its Congressional 
        Delegation and State elected officials;
Whereas the designation of the San Gabriel Mountains as a National Monument was 
        supported by the cities of Los Angeles and Pasadena and local elected 
        officials from Alhambra, Baldwin Park, Covina, Claremont, El Monte, La 
        Puente, Monterey Park, Rancho Cucamonga, Rosemead, San Dimas, San 
        Gabriel, Santa Clarita, South El Monte, and West Covina;
Whereas the designation of the San Gabriel Mountains as a National Monument was 
        supported by water organizations members from the San Gabriel Valley 
        Municipal Water District, Upper San Gabriel Municipal Water District, 
        and the Valley County Water District;
Whereas the designation of the San Gabriel Mountains as a National Monument was 
        supported by educators and school board members from Alhambra Unified 
        School District, Bassett Unified School District, El Monte Union High 
        School District, Hacienda La Puente Unified School District, and Mt. San 
        Antonio College;
Whereas the designation of the San Gabriel Mountains as a National Monument was 
        supported by numerous local businesses and community support groups;
Whereas, on April 26, 2017, President Donald Trump signed the Executive order 
        entitled ``Review of Designations Under the Antiquities Act'' to conduct 
        a review of all Presidential national monument designations since 1996 
        that cover more than 100,000 acres, which included the 350,000-acre area 
        protected by the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument;
Whereas, after the review was announced--

    (1) numerous organizations and residents submitted letters of support 
for the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, including the County of 
Los Angeles Board of Supervisors, San Gabriel Valley Council of 
Governments, City of El Monte, City of Glendora, San Gabriel Valley 
Economic Partnership, and City of Baldwin Park; and

    (2) the San Gabriel Mountains Community Collaborative submitted a 
letter stating that the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument was 
properly designated under the Antiquities Act of 1906 (54 U.S.C. 320301 et 
seq.); and

Whereas only Congress has the authority to change the boundary of the San 
        Gabriel Mountains National Monument: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes the San Gabriel Mountains National 
        Monument's significant natural, cultural, and scientific 
        features;
            (2) commends the residents of Southern California for their 
        more-than-a-decade-long push to further protect the San Gabriel 
        Mountains; and
            (3) acknowledges the 3-year anniversary of the October 2014 
        designation of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument.
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