Bills expand CA wilderness areas

The “Central Coast Heritage Protection Act” was submitted to both houses of Congress on Monday, Oct. 16. The bills—S. 1959 in the Senate and H.R. 4072 in the House—seek to designate certain federal land along the California coast as wilderness areas and as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System. The bills would affect an estimated 245,000 acres of federal land by expanding existing wilderness area Los Padres National Forest and creating four new areas. The California Cattlemen’s Association has voiced its opposition to the efforts and vowed to work against it, despite expectations that the bills will find very little traction in the current political environment.