[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 4 (Wednesday, January 9, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S104-S105]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself and Ms. Harris):
  S. 67. A bill to provide for conservation, enhanced recreation 
opportunities, and development of renewable energy in the California 
Desert Conservation Area, and for other purposes; to the Committee on 
Energy and Natural Resources.
  Ms. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, today I am proud to introduce the 
``California Desert Protection and Recreation Act of 2019.''
  This bill represents a decade-long collaborative effort between 
conservationists, the off-road vehicle recreational community, State 
and local governments, small businesses, and public utilities. Through 
this collaborative effort, we have developed a path forward to 
sustainably and comprehensively manage California's fragile desert 
resources.
  Before I continue, I would especially like to thank Senators Lisa 
Murkowski and Maria Cantwell, as well as their staff, for all of their 
hard work to move this bill forward last Congress. With their 
assistance, this legislation passed out of the Senate Energy and 
Natural Resources Committee in October 2018 and was included in a 
bipartisan public lands package.
  Despite the disappointing outcome of last Congress, we have come 
farther with this bill than ever before, and I look forward to working 
once again with Senator Murkowski, as well as the newly designated 
Ranking Member Joe Manchin, to maintain our momentum and pass this bill 
as quickly as possible.
  I also would like to express my gratitude to Representative Paul Cook 
and his staff for their tremendous work and collaboration on this 
legislation over the past two years.
  The California desert is as special as it is unique. Unlike many 
deserts in the world, our desert is abundant with plant and animal 
species, many of

[[Page S105]]

which are only found in California. From the iconic Joshua Trees to the 
desert tortoise, big horn sheep, and scores of wildflowers, the beauty 
of the California desert is unrivaled.
  I have heard from thousands of constituents who share a love for the 
peace and tranquility of this majestic area, such as young students 
from urban areas exposed to the desert for the first time and veterans 
returning home from warzones finding much-needed quiet in California's 
desert landscapes.
  When I first came to Washington twenty-six years ago, Senator Alan 
Cranston asked me to assume the mantle and carry on his efforts to 
protect the desert by introducing and passing a desert protection bill.
  Despite opposition, and even filibuster attempts, the California 
Desert Protection Act of 1994 passed and was signed into law by 
President Clinton. Since then, we have all watched the unique desert 
plants, animals, and surrounding communities flourish, attracting 
visitors from around the world.
  The 1994 bill permanently protected more than 7.5 million acres of 
pristine desert land in national parks and preserves, and I worked 
closely with President Obama in 2016 to designate three new desert 
National monuments that protected a further 1.8 million acres.
  The original Desert Protection Act was a crowning achievement for 
desert conservation, establishing 69 new Wilderness areas, creating the 
Mojave National Preserve, and converting Death Valley and Joshua Tree 
National Monuments into National Parks. All told, we were able to 
protect, or increase protections for about 9.6 million acres.
  I am proud to have been a part of these achievements for the desert, 
and I remain steadfast in my commitment to get this legislation across 
the finish line.
  As I mentioned earlier, this bill represents the varied interests of 
desert stakeholders and balances the many uses of the California 
desert. I'll highlight some of what's in the bill now.
  The bill designates approximately 375,500 acres of wilderness, 
including eight new Bureau of Land Management (BLM) wilderness areas.
  It expands Death Valley National Park Wilderness by approximately 
88,000 acres and adds 7,141 acres to the San Gorgonio Wilderness within 
San Bernardino National Forest.
  This bill also expands Joshua Tree National Park by 4,518 acres and 
Death Valley National Park by approximately 35,292 acres. The additions 
to Joshua Tree National Park include 1,600 acres donated by the Mojave 
Desert Land Trust.
  The legislation also officially designates six existing Off-Highway 
Vehicle Recreation Areas totaling 200,580 acres to provide certainty 
that these recreational uses will be protected and maintained in a 
manner similar to conservation areas.
  Two more additions are the Alabama Hills National Scenic Area in Inyo 
County and the Vinagre Wash Special Management Area in Imperial County. 
The Alabama Hills National Scenic Area preserves 18,610 acres for 
continued recreation and conservation. The Vinagre Wash Special 
Management Area covers approximately 81,800 acres of Bureau of Land 
Management land to provide for wilderness preservation, vehicular use 
on designated routes, and limitations on extractive uses of the land 
within the management area.
  Lastly, this bill designates 77 miles of Wild and Scenic Rivers.
  Desert conservation has never been a partisan issue. Over the years, 
legislators have come together across party lines to preserve and 
protect California's desert.
  Considering our progress and bipartisan efforts last Congress, I am 
hopeful this Congress will take this legislation up and move it forward 
as quickly as possible.
  This bill represents years of collaborative work and the interests of 
a wide variety of groups and communities with the shared goal of 
protecting and sustainably managing California's desert. This area is a 
true national treasure, and I look forward to continuing our work to 
protect it for generations to come.
  Thank you.

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