[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 152 (Friday, November 22, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2126-E2127]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          PASSAGE OF H.R. 4750

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. SAM FARR

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, November 22, 2002

  Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to give sincere 
thanks to Chairman Hansen, Ranking Member Rahall and the staff of the 
Resources Committee for their efforts to move H.R. 4750 through this 
chamber in the final hours of the 107th Congress. I am pleased to 
inform you Mr. Speaker, that the other body has passed this legislation 
as well and it is on its way to the President. This legislation 
designates as wilderness more than 50,000 acres of land in the Central 
Coast of California, adding another jewel in the crown of Big Sur.
  Mr. Speaker, since this legislation passed without committee action, 
it was not possible to get a Committee Report so I want to inform you 
of my intentions in regard to H.R. 4750. The Big Sur region is a rough, 
wild, sparsely populated area full of scenic vistas and should be 
managed as such. In regard to wilderness fire management, it would be 
beneficial to have a management plan for the Ventana and Silver Peak 
areas prepared, following their designation as wilderness, that would 
authorize the Forest Supervisor of the Los Padres National Forest to 
take whatever appropriate actions are necessary for fire prevention and 
watershed protection. This would include, but not be limited to, 
acceptable fire presuppression and fire suppression measures and 
techniques. Any special provisions contained in the management plan for 
the Ventana and Silver Peak Wilderness areas should be incorporated in 
the planning for the Los Padres National Forest.
  This language is a slight modification of language enacted in 1977 as 
part of the legislation initially designating the Ventana wilderness 
area. The thought is that current language be as close to original 
language as possible. Local USFS staff have indicated that under normal 
agency procedures, the decision to utilize this existing authority 
would have to be made at the regional forester level or higher. The 
practical impact is that the existing authority has never been used. 
This language seeks to make the existing authority more useful by 
authorizing the decision at the forest supervisor level.
  Mr. Speaker, in regard to military training at Fort Hunter-Liggett, I 
suggest that we do nothing to preclude existing low level overflights 
of military aircraft, the designation of new units of special airspace, 
or the use or establishment of military flight training routes over 
wilderness areas. In regard to military access all non-motorized access 
to and use of the wilderness areas designated by this Act for military 
training should be permitted to continue in the same manner and degree 
as permitted prior to enactment, subject to reasonable regulation by 
the land manager. This language will apply to the proposed wilderness 
areas adjacent to Fort Hunter-Liggett. The non-motorized use language 
covers a variety of training activities that the military has 
undertaken in the National Forest. Currently, the two agencies have an 
MOU that governs such activities. I would encourage a new MOU be 
developed to account for the change to wilderness.
  Mr. Speaker, the Central Coast is a unique ecosystem in itself. For 
example, only in this area will you find giant redwoods growing in the 
same drainage as a yucca plant. Because of this great diversity our 
area faces constant assaults by invasive species. The spread of 
invasive species continues to inflict great damage to the Big Sur 
region's environment. Such plant species as South American pampas 
grass, genesta (French broom) from southern Europe, and cape ivy from 
South Africa have taken over large areas of the Big Sur region. In 
addition, a cross breed of ferral and wild pig has become very prolific 
in many areas of Big

[[Page E2127]]

Sur. These pigs plough up native plants which destroys habitat for 
native animals and opens the way for many non native plants to colonize 
the disturbed ground. On their own, each of these species has inflicted 
major adverse changes to the Big Sur landscape. Their combined assault 
has resulted in the displacement of entire native communities.
  Mr. Speaker, the federal government has invested millions of dollars 
in acquiring land for conservation in the Big Sur region. A program of 
this type would help prevent the ecological value of that investment 
from being destroyed. This region needs a program to target the 
eradication of invasive plant and animal species in the Monterey 
District of the Los Padres National Forest. In addition nearly private 
or other non USFS property where the property owner seeks the 
assistance and where the invasive species are present on that property 
pose a threat to national forest lands and should be included as well.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to see the transfer USFS land currently occupied 
by Pacific Valley School under special use permit to the Pacific Valley 
School District. The amount of land to be transferred should not exceed 
the school's existing footprint (approximately 5 acres). Also, the 
transfer should include reversionary language that would require 
transfer back to the Forest Service if the School District ever gave up 
use of the land. The Pacific Valley School serves the residents of the 
rural southern Big Sur Coast. It has approximately 40 students in 
grades K-8. The school has occupied a site on USFS property under a 
special use permit for approximately 35 years. The school itself 
consists of 6 portable buildings arranged on a series of concrete and 
asphalt pads. Over the years the school has had a good relationship 
with the Forest Service. The major problem is the inflexibility that 
the special use permit arrangement imposes on the school's site 
management. Generally, any changes the school wants to make to the site 
have to be cleared by the Forest Service. Even if a change, for example 
the addition of a student garden or replacing a set of building steps, 
may not need Forest Service approval, the uncertainty of whether it 
does have a chilling effect on any activity. This transfer is intended 
to resolve the potential conflict and release the USFS from acting as a 
school site manager.
  Finally, Mr. Speaker, I feel we should authorize the construction and 
maintenance of a new water line and corresponding spring box 
improvements adjacent to an existing domestic water service in the 
Silver Peak Wilderness Area in the Los Padres National Forest. The 
water system in question serves two adjacent properties located just 
outside the existing Silver Peak Wilderness Area boundary established 
in 1992. Both parcels are 10 acres and are located in the west \1/4\ of 
the south \1/4\ of the southwest \1/4\ of the southeast \1/4\ of 
section 14 in township 24 south, range 5 east, MDB&M. Both parcels have 
drawn water from the same spring for over 40 years. A single pipeline 
runs from the spring box located in the wilderness and delivers water 
to the two parcels in succession. The 1992 act creating the Silver Peak 
Wilderness Area grand-fathered this system into the wilderness. 
However, Monterey County ordinances now implementing state and federal 
law treat the system as a water distribution system which requires it 
to comply with the treatment and storage needs of a larger system 
serving multi-households. The owners of the two parcels want to lay a 
new separate pipeline alongside the existing line so that they become 
two separate individual systems and thus free of the cost of complying 
with the multiple hook-up requirements.
  Mr. Speaker, I once again want to thank all those that made passage 
of this legislation possible. Protection of these resources is of great 
benefit to all.

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