[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 32 (Wednesday, March 6, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Page S1235]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. BOXER:
  S. 483. A bill to designate the Berryessa Snow Mountain National 
Conservation Area in the State of California, and for other purposes; 
to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
  Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I am pleased to introduce the Berryessa 
Snow Mountain National Conservation Area Act. Congressman Mike Thompson 
and I introduced this legislation in the 112th Congress, and I am glad 
to continue working on this effort with him in this new Congress.
  This important legislation designates close to 350,000 acres of 
public lands in Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Solano, and Yolo Counties as the 
Berryessa Snow Mountain National Conservation Area, or NCA. The area is 
a haven for hiking, camping, rafting, and horseback riding, and is home 
to a diverse array of wildlife including black bears and bald eagles.
  My bill does not add any new lands to the Federal Government, the 
lands included in this NCA are already managed by the Bureau of Land 
Management, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the U.S. Forest Service and 
it does not apply to state or private lands. A National Conservation 
Area designation will require these three agencies to develop a multi-
agency management plan in consultation with stakeholders and the 
public, improving coordination on wildlife preservation, habitat 
restoration, and recreational opportunities. Creation of the NCA will 
also help the agencies take a more coordinated approach to preventing 
and fighting wildfires, combating invasive species and water pollution, 
and stopping the spread of illegal marijuana growth.
  By unifying these individual places under one banner, my bill helps 
put the Berryessa Snow Mountain region on the map as a destination for 
new visitors. This region is one of the most biologically diverse, yet 
least known regions of California. By raising its profile, an NCA 
designation will boost tourism and increase business opportunities in 
the region's gateway communities. The Outdoor Industry Association has 
estimated that outdoor recreation supports 732,000 jobs and contributes 
$85.4 billion annually in consumer spending to California's economy, 
underscoring the immense potential of sites such as the proposed 
Berryessa Snow Mountain NCA to drive local economic growth. 
Additionally, the region will become recognized by more people as 
uniform signage and publications are created to reach more diverse 
audiences, allowing them to learn more about this beautiful area.
  Creation of this proposed National Conservation Area has strong 
support from a large coalition of local governments, elected officials, 
business owners, landowners, farmers, private individuals, and many 
conservation and recreation groups. This bill is the culmination of a 
grassroots effort of concerned citizens taking the initiative to care 
for the beautiful areas in their communities, and I am proud to support 
their work and commitment.
  The Berryessa Snow Mountain region deserves national status and 
recognition, and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this 
effort.
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