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Home My WebLink About2017-06-13 - AGENDA REPORTS - SAN GABRIEL MOUNTAINS NATIONAL MONUMENT REVIEW AND (2)0 Agenda Item: 9 CITY OF SANTA CLARITA Q) AGENDA REPORT CONSENT CALENDAR CITY MANAGER APPROVAL: 1 P441) DATE: June 13, 2017 SUBJECT: SAN GABRIEL MOUNTAINS NATIONAL MONUMENT REVIEW AND PUBLIC COMMENT DEPARTMENT: City Manager's Office PRESENTER: Michael Murphy RECOMMENDED ACTION City Council approve draft comment letter and authorize sending it as a five -signature letter to the Secretary of the Interior, supporting retention of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument as designated by President Obama on October 10, 2014. BACKGROUND On April 26, 2017, President Trump issued Executive Order 13792. This Executive Order calls for a review of all national monument designations or expansions made under the Antiquities Act of 1906, since January 1, 1996 and containing over 100,000 acres. The President of the United States has authority under the Antiquities Act to designate new national monuments or expand existing national monuments without additional authority from Congress. President Barack Obama designated 346,177 acres of federally owned national forest land within the San Gabriel Mountains on October 10, 2014 as the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument. This action was taken only after legislative efforts to implement findings of the National Park Service's San Gabriel Watershed and Mountains Resource Study were unsuccessful. Among other things, the study recognized the importance of the Upper Santa Clara River Watershed, which contains unique ecological natural resources. The San Gabriel Mountains National Monument falls within the parameters of President Trump's Executive Order. The Secretary of the Interior is charged with conducting a review of 22 initially identified national monuments and 5 marine national monuments. As part of the Secretary's review, public comment is being solicited. Public comments are due to the Secretary of the Interior not later than June 25, 2017. Prior to and since the designation of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, the City Page 1 PacketPg. 80 0 has been interacting with the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service and Members of Congress regarding issues of interest related to the area. In particular, the San Gabriel Watershed and Mountains Resource Study highlighted the unique and important ecological natural resources found in the Upper Santa Clara River watershed. This study complimented a number of other federal studies and recognitions of important resources within the watershed, as well as long-standing efforts by the City of Santa Clarita to preserve and enhance open space and facilitate recreational opportunities in the area. Furthermore, the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument directly abuts surface estate owned by the City of Santa Clarita that was the subject of the now cancelled contracts between the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and CEMEX. The City of Santa Clarita has engaged both the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture (U.S. Forest Service) regarding future conveyance of the surface estate to the federal government to serve as a site for a visitor's center and/or northern gateway entry point into the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument. This land conveyance would only occur upon full extinguishment of the mining contracts and withdrawal of the site from further mineral entry; meaning that the Secretary of the Interior would be prohibited from contracting or conveying mineral extraction rights in the future. The adopted 2017 City of Santa Clarita Legislative Platform contains the following statement regarding the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, "Support legislation to increase funding for, creating enhancements to, or expanding the boundaries of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument." The City Council is requested to review and approve the attached draft letter and authorize that it be sent to the Secretary of the Interior as afive-signature letter supporting retention of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, as designated by President Obama on October 10, 2014. ALTERNATIVE ACTION 1. Do not send a comment letter in response to Executive Order 13792 and public review of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument. 2. Send a comment letter to the Secretary of the Interior seeking a reversal or reduction of the area designated as the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument. 3. Other direction, as determined by the City Council. FISCAL IMPACT Approval of the recommended action requires no additional resources beyond those already contained within the adopted FY 16/17 budget. ATTACHMENTS San Gabriel Mountains National Monument letter to Dept. of the Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke Page 2 Packet Pg. 81 9.a City of SANTA GLARITA 23920 Valencia Boulevard • Santa Clarita, California 91355-2196 IDRN Phone: (661) 259-2489 • FAX: (661) 259-8125 www.santa-clarita.com June 13, 2017 Cameron Smyth Mayor The Honorable Ryan Zinke Secretary Department of the Interior Laurene Weste 1849 C Street, N.W. Mayor Pro Tem Washington, D.C. 20240 Attention: Monument Review, M.S. 1530 Bob Kellar Councilmember Dear Secretary Zinke: We are writing to express the Santa Clarita City Council's support for the San Marsha McLean Gabriel Mountains National Monument, as designated by President Obama on Councilmember October 10, 2014. As you know, the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument in California was designated by President Obama under authority of the Antiquities Act of 1906. Bill Miranda This action was taken after significant public outreach and engagement occurred Councilmember in many communities affected by the designation in seeking to implement the findings of the San Gabriel Watershed and Mountains Resource Study. In the time since the designation was made, additional extensive public engagement has been undertaken by the United States Forest Service to ensure that all impacted communities are able to share their thoughts on how best to access, use and protect this important natural resource. It appears appropriate to retain the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, as presently configured, as the management plan is under development through an aggressive and inclusive public process. The City of Santa Clarita is located between the northern and southern sections of the Angeles National Forest, in northern Los Angeles County, in an area known as the Santa Clarita Valley. The unique topography of the area places the City of Santa Clarita within a self-contained valley, essentially surrounded on three sides by the Angeles National Forest. The San Gabriel Mountains National Monument extends across the San Gabriel Mountains and directly abuts a portion of the City of Santa Clarita's eastern border. The City of Santa Clarita is home to approximately 225,000 residents. The City is the third most populous of the 88 cities of Los Angeles County and 17th most Packet Pg. 82 Honorable Ryan Zinke June 13, 2017 Page 2 populous of California's 482 incorporated municipalities. Additionally, there are approximately 75,000 residents living in the adjacent unincorporated area. Given the City of Santa Clarita's proximity to the Angeles National Forest, every City Council since incorporation in 1987, has placed a high level of importance on developing a greenbelt around the City and undertaken activities to complement the existing federal open space. We have judiciously made open space acquisitions and developed trails that connect and seek to enhance the Angeles National Forest. Additionally, we have partnered with the United States Forest Service to create trailheads and access points into the forest. We view the designation of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument as another partnership effort to provide Santa Clarita's residents with additional opportunities to enjoy the unique natural resources and open space of the community's surrounding mountains. A number of federal studies in recent years have recognized the important ecological natural resources of the Upper Santa Clara River region of the Santa Clarita Valley. The National Park Service's San Gabriel Watershed and Mountains Resource Study and Rim of the Valley Corridor Special Resource Study both recognized critical resources in the area. The Bureau of Land Management's South Coast Resource Management Plan reinforces those recognitions. Furthermore, the City of Santa Clarita and United States Forest Service have partnered with other government, environmental and community organizations in working toward connecting the northern and southern sections of the Angeles National Forest. Finally, the City of Santa Clarita owns approximately 493 acres that touch the north side of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument. The property is split estate with the City of Santa Clarita owning the surface estate and the Bureau of Land Management owning the underlying mineral estate. The City of Santa Clarita has engaged with both the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture (U.S. Forest Service), regarding future conveyance of the surface estate to the federal government to serve as a site for a visitor's center and/or northern gateway entry point into the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument. This potential land conveyance and additional non-federal financial resources have been brought to the federal government as a direct result of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument. The extensive public outreach and engagement before and after the designation will facilitate public access and enjoyment opportunities for the residents of Santa Clarita and over 15 million people who live in the greater Southern California region within 90 minutes of this important resource. 9.a Packet Pg. 83 ORPFt Honorable Ryan Zinke June 13, 2017 Page 3 As you review national monuments across the nation, in response to President Trump's Executive Order, we hope that you will recommend retention of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument. Thank you for your consideration of our comments. Should you or your staff require any additional information regarding the Santa Clarita City Council's support of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, please contact Michael P. Murphy, Intergovernmental Relations Manager, at (661) 255-4384 or minurphynsanta-clarita.com. Sincerely, Mayor Cameron Smyth Council Member Bob Kellar Council Member Bob Miranda MPM:sk S: MS:MPM:San Gabriel Mountains National Monument 6 13 17 cc: Senator Dianne Feinstein Senator Kamala Harris Representative Steve Knight Mayor Pro Tem Laurene Weste Council Member Marsha McLean Secretary Sonny Perdue Kenneth W. Striplin, City Manager Leadership Team Michael Murphy, Intergovernmental Relations Manager Carrie Lujan, Communications Manager 9.a Packet Pg. 84