Senator Dianne Feinstein testifies on the California Desert Protection Act of 2010 at a hearing Thursday

"We have the opportunity and the responsibility to preserve some of the most pristine wilderness quality lands in the desert. That is why I am here today," the Senator stated in front of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and a room full of supporters wearing "Support S.2921" stickers. She went on to say, "Over the course of many months, my staff and I met key stakeholders, including federal, state and local officials, environmental groups, renewable energy companies, off‐highway recreation enthusiasts, hunters, cattle ranchers, mining interests, the Department of Defense, and California's public utility companies. We worked hard to incorporate the vast majority of their suggestions. Out of these meetings, this bill emerged. I believe the bill achieves a careful balance between conserving the desert’s pristine heritage, while creating an efficient process for renewable energy development. We also made sure to incorporate lands designated for recreation and military training uses."

David Myers, Executive Director of the Wildlands Conservancy, testified, "The lands included in this bill include the Creation Trail that’s sacred to all seven Colorado River tribes. It includes the Mojave Trail, the route early pioneers forged through the steep red rock canyon walls of Afton Canyon along the Mojave River. It includes the National Trails Highway, which John Steinbeck traveled in search of America’s soul and dubbed the 'Mother Road' in the Grapes of Wrath. It covers a vast network of Jeep roads for exploring, sightseeing, and remote camping amid heroic scenery." David Hubbard, a lawyer representing several off‐road organizations who currently support the bill, talked about how different this bill is from previous land protection bills and was pleased that the off-road community had been consulted in the process.

Representatives from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), and the Department of Defense (DOD) all agreed that the bill does a good job at balancing the uses of the desert and the views of various stakeholders including their respective agencies. The DOD explained how the potential wilderness and monument proposals could buffer the military bases from development and intensive recreation use. The USFS said they support the bill and will submit more detailed testimony to the Committee for review.

Other witnesses included spokespeople from the Natural Resource Defense Council, Edison International, and the Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies. All had some concerns with the energy portion of the bill, but felt those issues could be addressed through the committee process.

Committee Chairman Jeff Bingaman (D‐New Mexico) directed the agency witnesses to submit their detailed comments within 30 days. "We hope the committee members and stakeholders will work with Senator Feinstein to resolve their remaining concerns in a timely fashion for the sake of our beautiful desert," said Monica Argandoña, Southern California Conservation Director with the California Wilderness Coalition.

The California Desert Protection Act of 2010 will designate two national monuments, five wilderness areas, six wilderness additions, four wild and scenic rivers, and add to Joshua Tree National Park, Mojave National Preserve, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and Death Valley National Park. It will also federally
designate five off‐road vehicle recreation areas (in places that are currently used for off‐roading) and a "special management area" in Imperial County.

To learn more about S. 2921 (California Desert Protection Act of 2010), please visit calwild.org or californiadesert.org