I
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2277
To designate all unreserved and unappropriated California coastal rocks and
islands currently administered by the Bureau of Land Management as
a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JUNE 18, 1999
Mr. FARR of California (for himself, Mr. GALLEGLY, Mr. WAXMAN, Mr.
CAMPBELL, Mr. STARK, Mrs. CAPPS, Mr. BILBRAY, and Ms. ESHOO) in-
troduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Re-
sources
A BILL
To designate all unreserved and unappropriated California
coastal rocks and islands currently administered by the
Bureau of Land Management as a component of the
National Wilderness Preservation System.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SEC. 2. DESIGNATION OF CALIFORNIA COASTAL ROCKS
AND ISLANDS WILDERNESS AREA TO BE AD-
MINISTERED BY BUREAU OF LAND MANAGE-
MENT.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds the following:
(1) The California coastal rocks and islands are
a critical component of a unique ecosystem of Cali-
fornia.
(2) The California coastal rocks and islands
comprise a narrow flight lane in the Pacific Flyway,
providing protected nest sites as well as feeding and
perching areas for millions of seabirds.
(3) This unique ecosystem is also important for
the continued survival of endangered or threatened
sea mammals, such as stellar sea lions and elephant
seals.
(4) Designation of the California coastal rocks
and islands as wilderness would add a significant
natural component to the National Wilderness Pres-
ervation System.
(b) DESIGNATION AS WILDERNESS.—In furtherance
of the purposes of the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131
et seq.), all unreserved and unappropriated ocean islands
in the State of California (as more fully described in sub-
section (c)) that, as of the date of the enactment of this
Act, are under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land
Management are hereby designated as wilderness and,
therefore, as components of the National Wilderness Pres-
ervation System, and shall be known as the California
Coastal Rocks and Islands Wilderness.
(c) DESCRIPTION OF COVERED ISLANDS.—The ocean
islands covered by subsection (b) are those islands, reefs,
rocks, and islets lying within three miles off the Pacific
coast of the State of California from Oregon to the Mexi-
can border and above the mean high tides, except those
already reserved and appropriated for other uses as listed
in the exhibit titled ‘‘Lands Not Affected By Wilderness
Designation’’ dated February 26, 1997, and on file and
available for public review in the California office of the
Bureau of Land Management.
(d) MANAGEMENT
AUTHORITY.—The California
Coastal Rocks and Islands Wilderness shall remain under
the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management, and
the islands, reefs, rocks, and islets designated as wilder-
ness under subsection (b) are managed, as of the date of
the enactment of this Act, under a memorandum of under-
standing by the California Department of Fish and Game.
(e) MANAGEMENT.—Subject to valid existing rights,
the California Coastal Rocks and Islands Wilderness shall
be administered by the Secretary of the Interior in accord-
ance with the Wilderness Act, except that, with respect
to such wilderness area, any reference in the Wilderness
Act to the effective date of the Wilderness Act shall be
deemed to be a reference to the date of the enactment
of this Act and any reference to the Secretary of Agri-
culture shall be deemed to be a reference to the Secretary
of the Interior.
(f) EFFECT ON OTHER LAWS.—This section shall
take precedence over and supersede the temporary res-
ervation made by the Act of February 18, 1931 (Chapter
226; 46 Stat. 1172).
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