November 23, 2002

National park measures left out as session ends
By Bill Hillburg , Washington Bu

On their last day of business Friday, House Republicans refused to create national parks in the San Gabriel River Watershed and the Rim of the Valley Corridor.

The San Gabriel River Watershed Study Act and the Rim of the Valley Corridor Study Act both passed by the Senate on Wednesday may be reintroduced in the next Congress in January.

The measures killed Friday directed the Department of the Interior to do feasibility studies on creating large new urban recreation areas. The cost of the studies was estimated at $500,000 each.

Only a handful of members were on hand as Majority Leader Richard Armey, R-Texas, announced the only bill that would be considered before final adjournment was President George Bush's homeland security measure. It was approved by unanimous consent.

Friday's action wiped out 18 months of legislative work by Rep. Hilda Solis, D-El Monte, author of the San Gabriel River Watershed measure, and Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Pasadena, who sponsored the Rim of the Valley Corridor bill.

Both bills had bipartisan support from Southern California House members and from Democratic Sens. Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein, who sponsored companion bills.

The San Gabriel River Watershed proposal calls for eventual creation of a national park along the river from its source in the San Gabriel Mountains to the Santa Fe Springs area. The project would link a number of existing city and county recreation areas and would not impact flood control systems along the river and its tributaries.

"I'm going to bring the San Gabriel River project back for sure next year,' said Solis. "Too many people have worked too hard on this project. I'm disappointed, of course, but I don't think what happened today jeopardizes our efforts to expand recreation opportunities.'

She predicted quick approval of her new bill next year.

"Our bill just got caught up in all this last-minute budget and political maneuvering,' added Solis, referring to the decision by GOP leaders.

An aide to Rep. David Dreier, R-Glendora, echoed that sentiment, noting that agreeing to passage of the two Southern California park measures "would have opened the floodgates to a large number of bills. There just wasn't time left to deal with them all.'

Dreier co-sponsored both the Rim of the Valley Corridor and San Gabriel watershed bills and is expected to renew his support next year.

The Rim of the Valley Corridor proposal, endorsed by state and local officials, calls for adding remaining undeveloped land in the Santa Monica, Santa Susanna, San Gabriel and Verdugo mountains, plus the San Rafael Hills and Arroyo Seco, to the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.

Long-range plans call for acquisition of private land from willing sellers and development of trails and other public access areas.

Schiff, who was unable to get his bill considered by the GOP- controlled House Resources Committee, predicted that support shown for the project in the Senate would boost its prospects in the next Congress.

"We'll get the job done; it's just a question of how long it will take,' Schiff said. "I've been told that because my bill was at the head of the queue this year, it will start next year at the head of the queue.'

Even if they had been approved by the House and sent to Bush for his signature, both projects still would have faced major challenges.

Neither measure specified any funding amounts for the studies to be conducted by the Interior Department. Funding must be worked out separately next year when the new Congress resumes work on the long-delayed 2002-03 federal budget.

The lame duck House and Senate recently agreed to put the Interior Department appropriations bill and 10 other key spending measures into the next session. In the meantime, the government is operating on an extension of the 2001-02 budget.

The park studies also may face opposition from the White House. Both Bush and Interior officials have said they are generally opposed to new park projects. They have made clear that a backlog of maintenance projects at existing parks is their top priority.

-- Bill Hillburg can be reached at (202) 662-8925.