[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 103 (Tuesday, July 26, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S9019]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 RIM OF THE VALLEY CORRIDORS STUDY ACT

  The bill (S. 153) 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, was read the third time and passed, 
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--
       (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 4(a) 
     shall include the concerns of private landowners within the 
     boundaries of the Recreation Area.

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