[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 5 (Tuesday, January 25, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S473-S474]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself and Mrs. Boxer):
  S. 153. A bill to direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a 
resource study of the Rim of the Valley Corridor in the State of 
California to evaluate alternatives for protecting the resources of the 
Corridor, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Energy and 
Natural Resources.
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I am pleased to introduce this bill 
today along with Senator Boxer as cosponsor to direct the Interior 
Secretary to conduct a study to evaluate the suitability and 
feasibility of expanding the Santa Monica National Recreation Area to 
include the Rim of the Valley Corridor.
  The Rim of the Valley Corridor encircles the San Fernando Valley, La 
Crescenta, Simi, Conejo, and Santa Clarita Valleys, consisting of parts 
of the Santa Monica Mountains, Santa Susanna Mountains, San Gabriel 
Mountains, Verdugo Mountains, San Rafael Hills and connects to the 
adjacent Los Padres and San Bernardino National Forests.
  This parcel of land is unique because of its rare Mediterranean 
ecosystem and wildlife corridor that stretches north from the Santa 
Monicas. With the population growth forecasted to multiply 
exponentially over the next several decades, the need for parks to 
balance out the expected population growth has become critical in 
California.
  Since the creation of the Santa Monica Recreation Area in 1978, 
Federal, State, and local authorities have worked successfully together 
to create and maintain the highly successful Santa Monica Mountains 
National Recreation Area, the world's largest urban park, hemmed in on 
all sides by development.
  Park and recreational lands provide people with a vital refuge from 
urban life while preserving valuable habitat and wildlife. With the 
passage of this legislation, Congress will hold true to its original 
commitment to preserve the scenic, natural, and historic setting of the 
Santa Monica Mountains Recreation Area.
  With the inclusion of the Rim of the Valley Corridor in the Santa 
Monica Mountains Recreation Area, greater ecological health and 
diversity will be promoted, particularly for larger animals like 
mountain lions, bobcats, and the golden eagle. By creating a single 
contiguous Rim of the Valley Trail, people will enjoy greater access to 
existing trails in the Recreational Area.
  After the study called for in this bill is complete, the Secretary of 
the Interior and Congress will be in a key position to determine 
whether all or portions of the Rim of the Valley Corridor warrant 
national park status.
  This bill enjoys strong support from local and State officials and I 
hope that it will have as much strong bipartisan support this Congress, 
as it did last Congress. Congressman Adam Schiff plans to introduce 
companion legislation for this bill in the House and I applaud his 
commitment to this issue.
  I urge my colleagues to support this legislation and I ask unanimous 
consent that the text of this proposed legislation be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                 S. 153

       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. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Corridor.--
       (A) In general.--The term ``Corridor'' means the land, 
     water, and interests of the area in the State known as the 
     ``Rim of the Valley Corridor''.
       (B) Inclusions.--The term ``Corridor'' includes the 
     mountains surrounding the San Fernando, La Crescenta, Santa 
     Clarita, Simi, and Conejo valleys in the State.
       (2) Recreation area.--The term ``Recreation Area'' means 
     the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area in the 
     State.
       (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of the Interior.
       (4) State.--The term ``State'' means the State of 
     California

     SEC. 3. RESOURCE STUDY OF THE RIM OF THE VALLEY CORRIDOR, 
                   CALIFORNIA.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary shall conduct a resource 
     study of the Corridor to evaluate various alternatives for 
     protecting the resources of the Corridor, including 
     designating all or a portion of the Corridor as a unit of the 
     Recreation Area.
       (b) Requirements.--In conducting the study under subsection 
     (a), the Secretary shall--

[[Page S474]]

       (1) seek to achieve the objectives of--
       (A) protecting wildlife populations in the Recreation Area 
     by preserving habitat linkages and wildlife movement 
     corridors between large blocks of habitat in adjoining 
     regional open space;
       (B) establishing connections along the State-designated Rim 
     of the Valley Trail System for the purposes of--
       (i) creating a single contiguous Rim of the Valley Trail; 
     and
       (ii) encompassing major feeder trails connecting adjoining 
     communities and regional transit to the Rim of the Valley 
     Trail System;
       (C) preserving recreational opportunities;
       (D) facilitating access to open space for a variety of 
     recreational users;
       (E) protecting--
       (i) rare, threatened, or endangered plant and animal 
     species; and
       (ii) rare or unusual plant communities and habitats;
       (F) protecting historically significant landscapes, 
     districts, sites, and structures; and
       (G) respecting the needs of communities in, or in the 
     vicinity of, the Corridor;
       (2) analyze the potential impact of each alternative on 
     staffing and other potential costs to Federal, State, and 
     local agencies and other organizations; and
       (3) analyze the potential impact that designating all or a 
     portion of the Corridor as a unit of the Recreation Area 
     would have on land in or bordering the area that is privately 
     owned as of the date on which the study is conducted.
       (c) Consultation.--In conducting the study, the Secretary 
     shall consult with appropriate Federal, State, county, and 
     local government entities.
       (d) Applicable Law.--Section 8(c) of Public Law 91-383 (16 
     U.S.C. 1a-5(c)) shall apply to the conduct and completion of 
     the study required by subsection (a).

     SEC. 4. REPORT.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 3 years after the date on 
     which funds are first made available for the study, the 
     Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Energy and Natural 
     Resources of the Senate and to the Committee on Resources of 
     the House of Representatives a report that describes the 
     results of the study conducted under section 3.
       (b) Inclusion.--The report submitted under subsection shall 
     include the concerns of private landowners within the 
     boundaries of the Recreation Area.
                                 ______