On Thursday, July 27^th, Rep. Howard P. "Buck" McKeon (R-CA) is scheduled to appear before a hearing of the House Resources Committee’s Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health to testify on behalf of his bill, HR 5149, the Eastern Sierra Rural Heritage and Economic Enhancement Act. 

 

The Eastern Sierra bill is the result of extensive consultations between McKeon and communities in southern California.  The bill adds 39,680 acres to the existing Hoover Wilderness area, as well as adds 640 acres to the existing Emigrant Wilderness area.  The bill also adds approximately 24 miles of the Amargosa River to the National Wild and Scenic River System.

 

The legislation will allow communities in the region to develop their summer and winter recreational tourist businesses, including 11,000 acres of prime snowmobiling terrain.  The measure also authorizes the appropriation of $2 million to support management and enforcement in the new agreed upon area of snowmobile use.