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- By Native News Online Staff
California Senators Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla yesterday reintroduced legislation that would expand the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument and require the federal entities that manage the lands to improve tribal engagement and co-management of the area.
The legislation, led by California Congressmen John Garamendi and Mike Thompson would expand the National Monument designated by President Obama in 2015 to include 3,925 acres of an adjacent federally owned land parcel in Lake County known as the "Walker Ridge" tract.
It would also rename the BLM’s entire Walker Ridge tract in Lake and Colusa Counties to “Condor Ridge,” a name translated from “Molok Luyuk” in the Patwin language of the Yocha Dehe and other federally recognized tribes that call the area their ancestral homeland.
“Expanding the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument will help secure approximately 4,000 additional acres for federal protection,” Senator Feinstein said in a statement. “This area of California is rich with Native American cultural heritage and diverse ecosystems, which is why I’m happy to join Senator Padilla in building on the work started in 2015 to create the more than 330,000-acres national monument.”
“California has some of the most beautiful natural landscapes in the world—and it is our duty to preserve these pristine outdoor spaces and rare natural habitats to combat the climate crisis and benefit future generations,” said Senator Alex Padilla. “I am proud to be introducing this legislation to not only expand the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument, but to usher in a new era of cooperative stewardship between our federal land management agencies and local tribes.”
Senator Alex Padilla said that he’s proud to be introducing legislation “to usher in a new era of cooperative stewardship between our federal land management agencies and local tribes.”
“For over 11,000 years, dozens of tribes have called ‘Molok Luyuk’ home, and with the enactment of our bill, we can ensure that their unique tribal knowledge, history, and cultural practices will permanently be part of the National Monument,” he said.
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