Interior Appropriations Conference Report Includes Millions
for Preservation of California Natural Resources
October 12, 2001

Washington, DC - The U.S. Department of Interior FY2002 Appropriations conference report, to be voted upon by the Senate next week, contains $3.1 million for the conservation of 100,000 acres of Mojave desert, $19.7 for Lake Tahoe restoration, and $26 million to fund the Quincy Library project, Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today announced.

"California's natural resources continue to be threatened by fire and by drought," Senator Feinstein said. "This bill includes millions of dollars for a wide range of restoration and preservation projects -- from the acquisition of sensitive desert lands to the full funding of the Quincy forest management plan. This funding represents an important step in managing the State's natural resources and protecting them for future generations."

The $3.1 million for the acquisition and preservation of California desert will be added to $5 million donated by the Wildlands Conservancy to purchase more than 100,000 acres of Mojave desert. This funding is the third phase of a comprehensive effort to purchase the vast majority of private lands in the Mojave Desert between Barstow and Needles. In the initial two phases, the Department Interior acquired more than 405,000 acres of land from willing-sellers and as part of land exchanges.

"All told, the Department will have acquired more than 567,000 acres of desert, making it the largest conservation acquisition in U.S. History. My thanks go to the Wildlands Conservancy and the private donors for their efforts in this successful public-private partnership."

"I am also very pleased that there is significant funding for Lake Tahoe, which is one of our nation's crown jewels." Senator Feinstein said. "The $19.6 million is part of an ongoing federal-state-local partnership established by the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act enacted law last year."

The Senate-House conference report also includes funding for:

• Headwaters Forest Preserve - $500,000
• Central Valley and Southern California Habitat Conservation Plan - $250,000
• Howe Creek Ranch (Forest Legacy Program) - $500,000
• UC Davis Urban Forestry Research Project - $125,000

Land Acquisition

• Cosumnes River Preserve - $650,000
• El Dorado - $3 million
• King Range National Conservation Area - $1.9 million
• Otay Mountain/Kuchamaa - $2 million
• Santa Rosa and San Jacinto National Monument - $1 million
• San Diego National Wildlife Refuge - $5 million
• Golden Gate Park (Mori Point) - $2.5 million
• Santa Monica Mountains - $1 million
• Los Padres (Big Sur) - $7.66 million
• Pacific Crest Trail - $2 million
• San Bernadino National Forest - $1.5 million

Construction

• Habitat for the California Condor - $1.75 million
• Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge - $190,000
• San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge - $2.5 million
• Golden Gate Park (Immigration Museum Study) - $450,000
• Golden Gate Park (Structural Upgrade) - $13 million
• Point Reyes - $1.2 million
• Restoration of the Historic CA Thayer - $4.6 million
• Big Bear Center - $1 million

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