BIG BEAR LAKE, CA – After tremendous public input, the proposed Sugarloaf Wilderness designation will be taken out of S. 493 (Boxer), known as the CALIFORNIA WILD HERITAGE ACT of 2007. City Council received notice from Senator Boxer’s office this week, expressing appreciation for testimony provided at the May 14 Council meeting and subsequent public input received from residents of and visitors to the Big Bear Valley. Boxer’s staff remarked that the bill will not be heard during the current congressional session, but rather be re-introduced next session, omitting the Sugarloaf designation as Wilderness Area.
The CALIFORNIA WILD HERITAGE ACT of 2007, labeled as S. 493 (Boxer) and H.R. 860 (Solis), intends to designate certain public land as wilderness and certain rivers as wild and scenic rivers in the State of California; certain areas as Salmon Restoration Areas; and to establish the Sacramento River National Recreation Area and Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest.
In the bill’s text, certain public lands are proposed to be designated as wilderness areas and as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System. These lands would be administered by the Bureau of Land Management and US Forest Service. Six of those proposed are located in the San Bernardino National Forest, which had included approximately 6,336 acres, which if passed, would have come to be known as the “Sugarloaf Wilderness Area”.
Other designations in the San Bernardino National Forest would include approximately 7,131 acres to be known as the ‘Cahuilla Mountain Wilderness’; approximately 21,760 acres to be known as the ‘South Fork San Jacinto Wilderness’; approximately 8,064 acres known as the ‘Cucamonga Wilderness Area Additions’ to be incorporated as part of the Cucamonga Wilderness; approximately 17,920 acres known as the ‘San Gorgonio Wilderness Area Additions’ to be incorporated as part of the San Gorgonio Wilderness; and approximately 14 acres known as the ‘Santa Rosa Wilderness Addition’ to be incorporated as part of the Santa Rosa Wilderness.
Much of the community input received regarding the proposed Wilderness Area in Sugarloaf centered around the ability for local agencies and resources to gain access to the area for fire prevention and suppression activities. Of critical importance is access to the area in times of natural disaster, such as wildfire. With access, comes the need to understand who would have decision-making capability and what chain of command would be followed. In response to the bill amendment, Mayor Bill Jahn stated, “We all love the environment we live in. Protecting the forest is critical, but doing so at the possible expense of lives and property because of lack of access or authority could be dangerous. Designating Wilderness Area on our community’s edge in Sugarloaf could have presented us with difficult challenges when it comes to fire suppression activities.” He went on to add, “We are grateful to Senator Boxer and her staff for the time they took to listen and address our community’s concerns.”
The City of Big Bear Lake is a four-season resort located in the heart of the
San Bernardino National Forest, approximately 30 miles northeast of San Bernardino. The City serves a population of 6,500 residents and covers a 6.95 square mile area on the west end of Big Bear Lake’s south shore. Recreation is offered year-round, including skiing, boating, fishing, camping, hiking, golf and fine dining. Visit us at www.citybigbearlake.com
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