Senate Committee Passes California Wilderness Bill
Action Alert
For Immediate Release
02-16-04
Contact: Jenn Dice, IMBA government affairs director
303-545-9011
-- Full Senate vote could be next week - keep calling senators
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources committee voted on unanimous consent Wednesday to move Senate Bill 128 (S. 128), the Northern California Coastal Wild Heritage Wilderness Act, to the full floor of the Senate. The reintroduced Wilderness bill would ban mountain biking from 170 miles of singletrack trails in Northern California. Mountain bikers nationwide are urged to ask their senators to delay action on the bill until suitable compromises are reached and bicycling is accommodated. The entire Senate could vote on the measure as early as next week.
Senate Bill 128 (S. 128), the Northern California Coastal Wild Heritage Wilderness Act, sponsored by U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), would designate more than 300,000 acres as federal Wilderness. Popular trails would be closed such as King's Crest and Lost Coast-Chemise Mountain in the King Range National Conservation Area and the Red Bud and Judge Davis trails near Cache Creek in Lake County. View a complete list of threatened trails.
IMBA remains firmly dedicated to land conservation and believes that Wilderness designation is just one of many tools that may be employed to protect wild places. When proposed Wilderness Areas include significant mountain biking opportunities, IMBA proposes alternative land designations that protect natural areas while preserving bicycle access.
IMBA supports protecting all lands in the bill, but for one-quarter of the areas under consideration, Congress should use protection measures other than Wilderness or adjust boundaries to accommodate bicycling.
IMBA believes mountain biking, low-impact, muscle-powered recreation, is an appropriate use of trails on public lands and is consistent with the values of Wilderness land protection which includes recreation in natural landscapes.
Talking Points:
- Senate Bill 128 needs to better accommodate bicycling and is not ready for passage. Please delay action in the Senate and House until suitable compromises are reached.
- This bill would close more than 170 miles of singletrack trails to bicycling.
- IMBA supports protecting all the lands in S. 128, but for one-quarter of the areas under consideration, Congress should use methods other than Wilderness to preserve the land while keeping trails open to mountain biking.
- Wilderness is not the only way to protect public lands. Why must land protection often mean eliminating bicycling opportunities?
- Mountain biking started in California and is a popular sport - 5.2 million Californians participated last year (Outdoor Industry Association).
- Mountain biking brings significant revenue to the state's economy through bicycle related industry, tourism, bike shops, touring companies and more.
- Mountain biking is low-impact, muscle-powered recreation and is an appropriate use of trails on public lands. IMBA members highly value land conservation, clean water and clean air.
- IMBA supports new Wilderness designations where they don't close singletrack bicycling opportunities.
- Bicyclists simply want to continue to ride on trails that have been open to them for years.
- Recreation science indicates that bikes affect natural resources no more than hikers or horses - two user groups allowed on Wilderness trails.
Action Steps:
- Call your two U.S. senators using the Capitol switchboard (202) 224-3121. (To learn the names of your senators go to http://www.congress.org and type in your zip code.) Or click here for their office extensions. Note that all Senate numbers start with (202-224-xxxx).
- Politely tell them you are calling in regards to S. 128 (Northern California Coastal Wild Heritage Wilderness Act) and use the talking points listed above. Now that the bill has passed out of committee, the full Senate will most likely vote on the bill in the next couple weeks (Feb. 21 to March 4).
- Please provide your name and address so that they know you are a constituent. Senators respond best to callers from their home state - if you don't give them contact information, your call probably won't count.
- If you would rather fax a letter, call your senator's office to get the proper fax number and staff member assigned to the bill. Email comments are not recommended on such short notice.
Thank you to all the IMBA members that called the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee this week. The committee voted on unanimous consent to pass the bill out, which means all members present at the hearing voted yes. The same bill passed the Senate last Congress but was held up in the House where many legislators were concerned about its impact to local economies. Negotiations are expected to again be contentious in the House.
Read IMBA's Strategy for Wilderness and Mountain Biking
Attend IMBA's 24 Hours of D.C. - April 6-7
