Support For Yosemite Expansion
Sacramento, CA — The California Senate has passed a resolution urging the federal government to expand the borders of Yosemite National Park. Authors of SJR 5 include local District 14 Senator Tom Berryhill, and District 5 Assemblyman Frank Bigelow, both Republicans.
Democratic U.S. Congressman Jim Costa is planning to introduce federal legislation that would allow Yosemite to add 1,600 acres. Much of the land is owned by the non-profit Pacific Forest Trust, and the remaining is owned by a group of private investors.
“For those of us that live in its (Yosemite) shadow, it is not only a source of great pride, it also means jobs,” says Berryhill. “Adding this 1,600-acre area to the Park is the right thing to do.”
The legislation does not appropriate funding, but simply allows for the properties to be considered for acquisition. The proposal has also been endorsed by the Mariposa County Board of Supervisors.
Local Republican U.S. Congressman Tom McClintock recently expressed some reservations about the idea of expanding Yosemite, saying it could just be another “federal land grab.” Click here to read the earlier story.
