First introduced by Senator Alan Cranston in 1986, the legislation would create the 1.5 million acre Mojave National Park, expand Death Valley and Joshua Tree National Monuments, and designate more than 70 BLM managed wilderness areas covering about four million acres. The bill has been stymied in past years by then Senator Pete Wilson and for two years by his hand-picked successor John Seymour. With Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer as California's new Senators, both of whom support the proposal, the bill is likely to move through the Senate this year, but its' integrity is under threat.
Opposition to the Desert Protection Act remains intense from the mining and livestock industries, the off-road vehicle community, and federal agency personnel who still act as if James Watt was their boss. While public opinion polls indicate a large majority of Californians support the legislation and more than 50 cities and counties have passed resolutions supporting the bill, there is still pressure on the Congressional delegation to substantially weaken the proposal.
It is important that Californians let the bill's primary sponsor, Senator Dianne Feinstein, know how they feel about the Desert Protection Act. The proposal now before Congress is a well-crafted compromise that demonstrates we can protect recreational opportunities and wildlife habitat, while preserving economic viability.
Contact Senator Dianne Feinstein, United States Senate, Washington, D.C. 20510. For more on the CDP Act, or to help with the campaign for passage, please contact Nobby Riedy, The Wilderness Society 415-541-9144, or Larry Freilich, Sierra Club, 213-387-6528.
Copyright Mendocino Environmental Center 2004
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