[Senate Report 109-9]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No. 20
109th Congress Report
SENATE
1st Session 109-9
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RIM OF THE VALLEY CORRIDOR STUDY ACT
_______
February 23, 2005.--Ordered to be printed
Filed, under authority of the order of the Senate of February 17, 2005
_______
Mr. Domenici, from the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany S. 153]
The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to which was
referred 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, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon
without amendment and recommends that the bill do pass.
PURPOSE OF THE MEASURE
The purpose of S. 153 is to direct the Secretary of the
Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a joint
resources study to evaluate the suitability and feasibility of
establishing the Rim of the Valley Corridor as a unit of the
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.
BACKGROUND AND NEED
S. 153 directs the Secretary of the Interior and the
Secretary of Agriculture to study an area known as the, ``Rim
of the Valley Corridor,'' the escarpment of the San Gabriel
Mountains in southern California primarily within the Angeles
National Forest, for possible addition to the Santa Monica
Mountains National Recreation Area. The Santa Monica Mountains
N.R.A. is the largest urban unit of the National Park System,
comprising more than 150,000 acres near Los Angeles.
The Rim of the Valley Corridor contains parts of an
endangered habitat area, the Mediterranean chaparral ecosystem.
Nearby mountains also provide notable recreation opportunities
and a haven from the noise and commotion of the Los Angeles
Basin. The State of California has adopted the Rim of the
Valley Master Plan submitted by the Santa Monica Mountain
Conservancy, but State and local efforts to protect the area
have been hampered by a lack of financial resources and
resource management expertise.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
S. 153 was introduced by Senator Feinstein on January 25,
2005.
During the 108th Congress, the Committee considered
identical legislation, S. 347. S. 347 was introduced by Senator
Feinstein on February 11, 2003. The Subcommittee on National
Parks held a hearing on S. 347 on March 4, 2003 (S. Hrg. 108-
14). At the business meeting on March 12, 2003, the Committee
on Energy and Natural Resources ordered S. 347, as amended,
favorably reported (S. Rept. 108-25). S. 347 passed the Senate
with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by unanimous
consent on April 7, 2004. The House of Representatives did not
consider the bill prior to the sine die adjournment of the
108th Congress.
Similar legislation, S. 2571, was also introduced by
Senator Feinstein during the 107th Congress. The Subcommittee
on National Parks held a hearing on S. 2571 on July 18, 2002
(S. Hrg. 207-829). At its business meeting on July 31, 2002,
the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources ordered S. 2571,
as amended, favorably reported (S. Rept. 107-257).
At its business meeting on February 9, 2005, the Committee
ordered S. 153 favorably reported.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, in open
business session on February 9, 2005, by a unamimous vote of a
quorum present recommends that the Senate pass S. 153.
SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS
Section 1 titles the bill the ``Rim of the Valley Corridor
Study Act.''
Section 2 directs the Secretary of the Interior and the
Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a joint resource study,
sets forth requirements and criteria for conducting the study
and consultation with affected governmental entities.
Section 3 authorizes the appropriation of such sums as are
necessary to carry out this Act.
COST AND BUDGETARY CONSIDERATIONS
The following estimate of the cost of this measure has been
provided by the Congressional Budget Office.
February 14, 2005.
Hon. Pete V. Dominici,
Chairman, Committee on Energy and Natural Resources,
U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for S. 153, the Rim of the
Valley Corridor Study Act.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contacts are Megan
Carroll and Deborah Reis.
Sincerely,
Douglas Holtz-Eakin,
Director.
Enclosure.
S. 153--Rim of the Valley Corridor Study Act
S. 153 would direct the Secretary of the Interior to
evaluate alternatives for protecting the area known as the Rim
of the Valley Corridor in California, including the possibility
of designating the area as a unit of the Santa Monica Mountains
National Recreation Area. Based on information obtained from
the Department of the Interior, CBO estimates that the proposed
study would cost about $500,000 over the next three years,
assuming appropriation of the necessary amounts. Enacting S.
153 would not affect direct spending or revenues.
S. 153 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and
would impose no costs on State, local, or tribal governments.
The CBO staff contacts for this estimate are Megan Carroll
and Deborah Reis. This estimate was approved by Peter H.
Fontaine, Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.
REGULATORY IMPACT EVALUATION
In compliance with paragraph 11(b) of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee makes the following
evaluation of the regulatory impact which would be incurred in
carrying out S. 153. The bill is not a regulatory measure in
the sense of imposing Government-established standards or
significant economic responsibilities on private individuals
and businesses.
No personal information would be collected in administering
the program. Therefore, there would be no impact on personal
privacy.
Little, if any, additional paperwork would result from the
enactment of S. 153, as ordered reported.
EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS
During the 108th Congress, the Committee considered
identical legislation (S. 347). The testimony provided by the
National Park Service at the Subcommittee hearing on S. 347
follows:
Statement of Deteel Patterson Tiller, Acting Associate Director for
Cultural Resources, National Park Service, Department of the Interior
Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to present the
Department's views on S. 347, a bill to direct the Secretaries
of Interior and Agriculture to conduct a joint special
resources study to evaluate the suitability and feasibility of
establishing the Rim of the Valley Corridor, in the Los Angeles
region, as a unit of Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation
Area.
The Department supports this bill with the minor
clarification provided in this testimony. We believe that this
study will provide a good opportunity to explore partnerships
with a wide range of state, local, private, and other federal
entities for the purpose of protecting and interpreting
important natural and cultural resources.
On July 18, 2002, the Department testified on S. 2571, a
similar bill that would have directed the Secretary of the
Interior to study the Rim of the Valley for addition to Santa
Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. In our testimony, we
recommended that the bill be amended to make the study a joint
study between the Secretaries of Interior and Agriculture and
we suggested that the provision that established a 17-member
advisory commission was unnecessary. At the committee markup,
S. 2571 was amended incorporating the department's suggestions.
S. 347 is identical to S. 2571 as it was amended in the 107th
Congress.
S. 347 directs the Secretaries of Interior and Agriculture
to conduct a joint Special Resource Study of the Rim of the
Valley Corridor in Southern California. S. 347 further requires
that the study evaluate the suitability and feasibility of
establishing the area as a unit of the Santa Monica Mountains
National Recreation Area. The Secretaries are directed to use
the criteria for study of areas for inclusion in the National
Park System and to consult with appropriate State, county, and
local governments. The study is estimated to cost approximately
$500,000.
The National Park Service generally conducts special
resource studies to evaluate the suitability and feasibility of
an area to become a new unit of the National Park System. We
understand that the intent of this bill is not to establish a
new park, but rather to study the Rim of the Valley as a
potential addition for Santa Monica Mountains National
Recreation Area. As such, we suggest that `Special Resource
Study' be replaced with `resource study' in all places where it
appears in the bill. We would be happy to work with the
subcommittee staff to develop any additional clarifying
language that may be required.
The study would assess habitat quality, access to urban
open space, low-impact recreation and educational uses,
wildlife and habitat restoration and protection and watershed
improvements along the Rim of the Valley corridor surrounding
the San Fernando and La Crescenta Valleys. This corridor
consists of portions of the Santa Monica Mountains, Santa
Susanna Mountains, San Gabriel Mountains, Verdugo Mountains,
San Rafael Hills and the connector to Los Padres, Angeles, and
San Bernardino National Forests, which provide notable
recreation opportunities close to the Los Angeles basin.
In addition to natural and recreational opportunities, the
area also includes properties found on the National Register of
Historic Places. Old stagecoach stops and images of the Wild
West still exist. Amtrak's Coast Starlight line travels past
many of these rich cultural and natural motifs. The area
supports a diverse system of plants and animals, including 26
distinct plant communities and more than 400 vertebrate
species.
As the largest urban park area in the National Park System,
the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area includes
153,750 acres and provides recreational opportunities for
approximately 530,000 visitors annually. During the 25 years
since the national recreation area was authorized by Congress,
this unit has become a model of collaboration of many local,
state, and federal public land managers, as well as many
private property owners--all working together as stewards of
the scenic, natural, cultural, and recreational resources.
Recognizing the limitation of federal resources for
acquiring and managing additional lands, the study would have
to examine a number of alternatives for protecting significant
areas of open space in the Rim of the Valley Corridor,
including those that involve minimal cost to the federal
government. With the study area encompassing 491,518 acres, the
study would emphasize public-private partnerships. Given the
large size and the diversity of stakeholders in the area, the
study undertaken by the National Park Service would involve
extensive outreach with members of the public, private
landowners, and local governments. It would likely entail
extended comment periods, and extensive analysis.
Mr. Chairman, this concludes my testimony. I would be happy
to answer any questions you or any members of the subcommittee
may have.
CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW
In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee notes that no
changes in existing law are made by the bill S. 153, as ordered
reported.