Bill Summary
The "Rim of the Valley Corridor Preservation Act" aims to expand the boundaries of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area to include the Rim of the Valley Corridor. This legislation proposes the following key provisions:
1. **Boundary Adjustment**: The Act modifies the existing boundaries of the recreation area, incorporating new lands and waters as outlined in specified maps from August 2001 and April 2023. These maps will be made publicly accessible for review.
2. **Administration**: Any land acquired within the newly defined Rim of the Valley Unit will be managed under the same regulations and laws that apply to the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, ensuring consistent governance.
3. **Utility and Water Resource Facilities**: The legislation stipulates that the inclusion of the Rim of the Valley Unit will not hinder the operation or maintenance of existing water resource facilities or public utilities. However, it emphasizes that any activities related to these utilities must minimize their impact on the area's natural resources.
Overall, this Act seeks to enhance the conservation and recreational value of the Santa Monica Mountains by formally adding the Rim of the Valley Corridor to the National Recreation Area, while balancing infrastructure needs.
Possible Impacts
The Rim of the Valley Corridor Preservation Act could affect people in several ways:
1. **Access to Recreational Opportunities**: The inclusion of the Rim of the Valley Corridor into the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area could enhance recreational opportunities for residents and visitors. Activities such as hiking, biking, and wildlife viewing may increase as new trails and parks become available, encouraging community engagement and outdoor activities.
2. **Environmental Conservation**: The legislation aims to preserve and protect the natural resources within the newly added area. This could benefit local ecosystems, wildlife habitats, and biodiversity, resulting in cleaner air and water and a healthier environment for local residents. Communities may experience improved quality of life due to the conservation of green spaces.
3. **Impact on Local Utilities and Infrastructure**: While the Act states that utility and water resource operations can continue within the new boundaries, the requirement for these activities to minimize their impact on the environment may lead to changes in how local utilities operate. This could affect service delivery, maintenance schedules, or even the costs associated with utilities in the area, which might ultimately influence local residents' expenses or service reliability.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3874 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3874
To adjust the boundary of the Santa Monica Mountains National
Recreation Area to include the Rim of the Valley Corridor, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 10, 2025
Ms. Friedman (for herself, Ms. Barragan, Ms. Brownley, Ms. Chu, Mr.
Sherman, and Mr. Lieu) introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To adjust the boundary of the Santa Monica Mountains National
Recreation Area to include the Rim of the Valley Corridor, and for
other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Rim of the Valley Corridor
Preservation Act''.
SEC. 2. BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT.
Section 507(c) of the National Parks and Recreation Act of 1978 (16
U.S.C. 460kk(c)) is amended by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the
following:
``(1) Boundary.--
``(A) In general.--The recreation area shall
consist of--
``(i) the land, water, and interests in
land and water generally depicted as the
recreation area on the map entitled `Santa
Monica Mountains National Recreation Area and
Santa Monica Mountains Zone, California,
Boundary Map', numbered 80,047-C, and dated
August 2001; and
``(ii) the land, water, and interests in
land and water, as generally depicted as `Rim
of the Valley Unit Proposed Addition' on the
map entitled `Proposed Addition--Rim of the
Valley Unit Santa Monica Mountains National
Recreation Area', numbered 638/179670x, and
dated April 14, 2023.
``(B) Availability of maps.--The maps described in
subparagraph (A) shall be on file and available for
public inspection in the appropriate offices of the
National Park Service.
``(C) Revisions.--After advising the Committee on
Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the
Committee on Natural Resources of the House of
Representatives, in writing, of the proposed revision,
the Secretary may make minor revisions to the
boundaries of the recreation area by publication of a
revised drawing or other boundary description in the
Federal Register.''.
SEC. 3. ADMINISTRATION.
Any land or interest in land acquired by the Secretary of the
Interior within the Rim of the Valley Unit shall be administered as
part of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (referred
to in this Act as the ``National Recreation Area'') in accordance with
the laws (including regulations) applicable to the National Recreation
Area.
SEC. 4. UTILITIES AND WATER RESOURCE FACILITIES.
The addition of the Rim of the Valley Unit to the National
Recreation Area shall not affect the operation, maintenance, or
modification of water resource facilities or public utilities within
the Rim of the Valley Unit, except that any utility or water resource
facility activities in the Rim of the Valley Unit shall be conducted in
a manner that reasonably avoids or reduces the impact of the activities
on resources of the Rim of the Valley Unit.
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