For Immediate Release  - Tuesday, February 11, 2003

                                       Contact:            Howard Gantman, Sen. Feinstein, 202/224-9629

                                                                  Caron Spector, Rep. Schiff, 202/225-4176

Schiff, Feinstein Introduce Bill To Study Expanding Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area To Include 'Rim Of The Valley'

 Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Congressman Adam B. Schiff (D-Calif.) today introduced legislation to explore the possibility of adding the Rim of the Valley Corridor in Southern California to the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.

"It is my hope that the Rim of the Valley Corridor Study Act will embody a dream and vision of a Southern California enhanced not only by what was built, but also by what was preserved.  Given the tremendous growth pressures in Southern California, we must act now to create a lasting legacy of nearby natural open space for our children – and their children – to enjoy," said Congressman Schiff.  "I am delighted that Senator Feinstein is introducing this legislation in the Senate, and I look forward to working with her to ensure that Californians will benefit from our efforts to conserve our precious resources for future generations."

"Park and recreational lands provide people with a vital refuge from urban life while preserving valuable land and habitat," Senator Feinstein said. "The Rim of the Valley Corridor is home to many important environmental, recreational, and economic assets. I am pleased to introduce this legislation, which begins the process of preserving these resources for the people of Southern California.  With the passage of this legislation, Congress will hold true to its  original commitment to preserve the scenic, natural, and historic setting of the Santa Monica Mountains Recreation Area.  I applaud Congressman Schiff for his leadership on this issue.”

Specifically, the legislation would direct the Secretaries of Interior and Agriculture to evaluate the feasibility of expanding the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area to include the Rim of the Valley Corridor.  The National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service would jointly study the suitability of more than doubling the size of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area by encompassing this corridor, which contains areas of rare Mediterranean ecosystems and encircles the mountains above the San Fernando, La Crescenta, Santa Clarita, Simi, and Conejo valleys, as well as the Arroyo Seco.

The National Park Service oversees the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, the world's largest urban park as designated by Congress in 1978, spanning from the Ventura Freeway westward to the Pacific Ocean.  Inclusion of the Rim of the Valley corridor would link wildlife habitat in the Santa Monica Mountains to the Angeles National Forest.

The Act requires the Secretaries to consult with state, county, and local governments, and to report their recommendations to Congress within three years.  An Act of Congress would then be required to designate any new addition to the Park System.  In the 107^th Congress, this legislation was successfully reported out of the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee in November 2002, but did not reach the House floor.

A number of environmental organizations support this legislation, including the Altadena Foothills Conservancy, the California Wilderness Coalition, Scenic America, and the Angeles Chapter of the Sierra Club, as well as the cities of La Canada Flintridge, Glendale, Pasadena, and South Pasadena.

In the House, the Rim of the Valley Corridor Study Act enjoys bipartisan support from original cosponsors Reps. Howard Berman, David Dreier, George Miller, Brad Sherman, and Hilda Solis.