Senate Hearing on the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument Expansion Act, S. 4080

Molok Luyuk (Condor Ridge/Walker Ridge) with Blue Ridge in Distance by Marc Hoshovsky
On Tuesday, June 7th, The U.S. Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources held a subcommittee hearing on a series of bills and the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument Expansion Act, S. 4080, was included. Introduced by Senator Alex Padilla, with Senator Dianne Feinstein as co-sponsor, this bill is a companion to H.R. 6366, introduced by Congressman John Garamendi earlier this year.
The legislation would add an adjacent 3,925 acres to the current Monument, support tribal co-management, and change the name of the additional wildlands from “Walker Ridge” to Molok Luyuk—Patwin for “Condor Ridge”—a name the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation provided.
During his testimony, Senator Padilla (D-CA) said “The sacred lands within and around the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument are central to thousands of years of tribal origin stories,” said Senator Padilla. “This bill would expand the existing Monument to include nearly 4,000 acres of sacred Tribal land, require federal agencies to finally develop a management plan for the monument, and give Tribal governments a seat at the table to better manage and care for these lands. It is our duty to protect the abundant natural resources and the rich history on Molok Luyuk for today’s children and for future generations, and I look forward to working to ensure we see this bill to fruition.”
To see all of the Senator’s testimony please click here.
Another great milestone for the legislation came when Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Deputy Director of Policy and Programs Nada Culver testified that the BLM was in support of the S. 4080 and the Monument expansion.
If the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument is expanded, it would mark an important step toward helping the State of California and the Biden Administration meet the critical goal of protecting 30 percent of U.S. lands and waters by the year 2030.
Thank you for all your support! Keep an eye out for future emails on how you can get involved and help in the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument Expansion Campaign move forward!
-Sara Husby; saradawnhusby@gmail.com
Campaign Consultant; Wild Spirit Environmental
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