Yosemite, CA — A proposal passed in the US House of Representatives would swap about 160 acres of Stanislaus National Forest land for 170 acres in Yosemite National Park.
It centers on Ackerson Meadow in Tuolumne County, where officials argue the current checkerboard boundary lines there make land management disjointed and inefficient. The National Park Service and the US Forest Service have different rules and restrictions regarding their federally owned properties.
Republican Congressman Tom McClintock authored the proposal and stated on the US House floor, “This meadow supports livestock grazing operations that have been part of the history and economy of the region. These operations are essential for brush control and fire suppression, maintaining meadow conditions and sustaining the rural economy that depends on the productive use of these lands.”
Companion legislation, Senate Bill 288, is also going through the US Senate, authored by Democrat Alex Padilla. McClintock pointed out, “We (He and Padilla) don’t agree on much, but we certainly agree on this.”
McClintock argued that the proposed land exchange (House Resolution 8454) would make a cooperative approach easier by eliminating the confusion caused by a split jurisdiction. He says ranchers need to know where their permits apply, where infrastructure can be maintained, and who is responsible for decisions affecting their operations.
He adds that it also protects existing rights and authorizations. Rights-of-way, easements, leases, licenses, and permits, would remain protected after the transfer.
