Legislative Package Reintroduced to Protect Central Coast Public Lands and Rivers 

Today, in a joint effort, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla, Representative Judy Chu, and Representative Jared Huffman reintroduced legislation aimed to protect 1 million acres of California public lands. U.S. Senator Padilla announced the reintroduction of The Protecting Unique and Beautiful Landscapes by Investing in California (PUBLIC) Lands Act which would increase protections for public lands throughout northwest California, the Central Coast, and Los Angeles. “This legislative package is one of a kind, it is the representation of stakeholders at the local, state, and federal levels’ fundamental beliefs and commitment to protecting our public lands.” said Carla Mena, the Director of Policy and Legislative Affairs at Los Padres ForestWatch. It would designate nearly 600,000 acres of new wilderness, more than 583 miles of new wild and scenic rivers, and expand over 100,000 acres of an national monument. The historic legislative package will protect special places in the Los Padres National Forest and Carrizo Plain National Monument for their ecological, cultural, and recreational values. The bill also prohibits future oil drilling in certain places, improves equitable access to the outdoors, and benefits local and statewide economies.  

The PUBLIC Lands Act legislative package consists of three bills that have also been re-introduced in the House of Representatives including: 

• The San Gabriel Mountains Foothills and Rivers Protection Act, which is led in the House by Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.-28). 
• The Northwest California Wilderness, Recreation, and Working Forests Act, which is led in the House by Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.-02). 
• The Central Coast Heritage Protection Act, which is led in the House by Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Calif.-24). 

Representative Judy Chu reintroduced the San Gabriel Mountains Foothills and Rivers Protection Act. This bill would expand the borders of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument to include the western Angeles National Forest, designate over 30,000 acres of protected wilderness, and 45.5 miles of protected rivers in Southern California. 

Representative Jared Huffman (CA-02) reintroduced his Northwest California Wilderness, Recreation, and Working Forests Act, which would increase fire resilience, restore forests and fish habitat, rehabilitate lands impaired by illegal marijuana growing operations, increase recreation opportunities through new trails and visitor centers, and permanently protect many of northwest California’s most spectacular wild places and pristine streams. 

These bills are a companion to Representative Carbajal’s Central Coast Heritage Protection Act, which was introduced into the House of Representatives in April. It designates more than 290,000 acres of wilderness and 400 miles of the Condor National Scenic Trail. It also creates two scenic areas encompassing 35,000 acres and safeguards about 159 miles of wild and scenic rivers. The bill seeks to preserve the unique character and free-flowing condition of almost 160 miles of rivers and creeks in the Los Padres National Forest.   

The Los Padres National Forest is California’s second largest national forest, extending nearly 220 miles across the scenic Coast and Transverse Ranges. Rising from the Pacific Ocean to over 8,800 feet in elevation, these wildlands form the backdrop of many local communities in Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, and Kern Counties. The Carrizo Plain is critical for the long-term conservation of this dwindling ecosystem, linking these lands to other high-value habitat areas like the Los Padres National Forest, the Salinas Valley, the Cuyama Valley, and the Bitter Creek National Wildlife Refuge in western Kern County. Even though much of the Carrizo Plain is now a National Monument, the area continues to face significant development pressures. The PUBLIC Lands Act legislative package will help safeguard our forest for future generations. These public lands are invaluable resources providing clean drinking water for communities, watershed protection, critical wildlife habitat, cultural resource protection, world class recreation opportunities and water for agriculture.  

The PUBLIC Lands Act has proven to have great support at the national, state, and local level throughout the years. “The PUBLIC Lands Act will help permanently safeguard cherished public lands and rivers in our region, including in the Los Padres National Forest and Carrizo Plain National Monument. Thank you, Senator Padilla, for your ongoing leadership to preserve these beloved treasures for our community,” said Supervisor Matt LaVere, Ventura County District 1. The bill would add federal Wilderness protections to nearly 65,000 acres of federal land within District 1 by the expansions of the Chumash, Dick Smith, Matilija, and Sespe Wilderness Areas. 

“Our public lands and natural spaces are one of our state’s greatest gifts—from the San Gabriel Mountains, to the Carrizo Plain, to the Northern California Redwoods. It is incumbent upon us to be thoughtful stewards of these special places so that our communities can enjoy them and benefit from America’s natural resources for generations to come,” said Senator Padilla. We are thankful to have such great champions of public lands aiming to restore and expand protections for over 1 million acres of California’s public lands.