[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 7]
[House]
[Page 9765]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        NATIONAL RECREATION AREA

  (Ms. CHU asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. CHU. Mr. Speaker, the San Gabriel Mountains are a defining 
feature of my district, and their peaks form a beautiful crown for the 
Los Angeles region. But they are deteriorating as forest rangers 
grapple with more than 3 million visitors annually.
  Trails are marked by graffiti instead of signs, trash litters the 
ground as receptacles overflow, and blatant safety hazards leave the 
public at risk and threaten our water supply.
  That is why I am introducing legislation to designate this area as a 
National Recreation Area. It would allow the National Park Service to 
work with the Forest Service and local partners on community-based, 
community-driven protection and restoration projects. It could mean 
more small parks in underserved communities, better access and 
connectivity to trails and bike paths from within our urban cities, new 
signs in the mountains, more bathrooms, more picnic areas, educational 
programs for a sustainable future, and more visitor services.
  Our community deserves to see these mountains protected permanently. 
I urge my colleagues to support this effort.

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