President Obama is signing the Proclamation! pic.twitter.com/I9K7JAlWfI
— Angeles_NF (@Angeles_NF) October 10, 2014
Despite an outcry by opponents concerned about public access and lack of congressional debate, President Barack Obama used his executive authority Friday to create a 346,000-acre national monument in the San Gabriel Mountains, saying it will permanently protect the area and enhance public use of the land.
“It’s not just the natural beauty of the San Gabriels that makes it invaluable,” Obama said during a ceremony at Frank G. Bonelli Regional Park in San Dimas. “Within these hills lies millennia of history, including the ancient rock art of native peoples and the first Americans. And just as this region teaches us about our past, it has always offered us a window into the future. It was here at the Mount Wilson observatory that Edwin P. Hubble showed the universe to be ever expanding.”
The designation culminates a years-long effort by some activists and members of Congress, most recently Rep. Judy Chu, D-El Monte, who has proposed including more than 600,000 acres of the San Gabriel Mountains in a national monument.
“I am overjoyed and thrilled,” Chu said earlier this week. “This is an historic moment for the Los Angeles area, and it has been a long time coming. The San Gabriel Mountains are a treasure, providing 70 percent of the open space for Angelenos and attracting more than 3 million visitors a year. But without providing adequate funding, the gorgeous woods and waters are marred by trash and graffiti while many trails have become dangerous and lack appropriate signage,” she said.
In an apparent effort to appease critics, Obama’s executive order included only 346,000 acres, excluding areas, such as Mount Baldy and Wrightwood, where opponents had decried a possible loss of access to pristine areas.
Despite that concession, critics still blasted Obama for issuing an executive order that they described as a land grab.
“This action restricts access to public lands and would put nearly half of the Angeles National Forest under lock and key,” said Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield. “I strongly support multiple use of our national forests and other public lands, but this decision severely limits usage. I remain concerned about the impact the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument designation will have on recreation, fire prevention and suppression and private property, as well as the economic impacts to communities in and around the forest.”
Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich also criticized the action, saying Chu failed to gain support for the idea of a national monument in Congress and is now “bypassing” the public by encouraging Obama to act through an executive order.
Antonovich also pointed to a report he requested in September and in which county public works and fire officials expressed concerns about a monument designation on water resources, firefighting efforts, flood control facilities and roads.
“The list of issues is alarming,” Antonovich said. “We have been told repeatedly that this designation will have no impacts on county operations. Yet, our county departments immediately identified multiple areas of concern. We now have more questions than answers, and unfortunately, we will be unable to definitely determine the potential impacts of a designation prior to the president’s ill-advised executive order.”
The land is managed by the U.S. Forest Service, but critics contend the agency’s lack of adequate funding has led to problems such as mounting trash and crime.
“Right now campgrounds are crowded, parking lots are tight,” Obama said. “There haven’t been enough resources to manage and maintain this area the way it deserves. So designating the San Gabriel Mountains as a national monument is just a first step toward a broader effort to change that. It’s going to enable the Forest Service, local communities and leading philanthropists to work together to increase access and outdoor opportunities for all.”
Speaking directly to fears about restricted access, Obama said the federal government would work to ensure everyone “can enjoy all that this monument has to offer.”
“We heard from the community that for a lot of urban families this is their only big outdoor space,” he said. “And too many children in L.A. County, especially children of color, don’t have access to parks where they can run free and breathe fresh air, experience nature and learn about their environment. This is an issue of social justice, because it’s not enough to have this awesome natural wonder within your sight, you have to be able to access it.”
According to the White House, the National Forest Foundation will commit $3 million to a monument fund to support restoration and stewardship efforts. White House officials also insisted the designation will expand access for recreation while restoring critical landscapes and protecting areas “significant to our nation’s rich history and natural heritage.”
Obama has used his executive authority — avoiding a debate in Congress – – 12 times previously to designate a monument.
The president began his day attending a $15,000-per-person fundraiser at the Holmby Hills home of restaurateur Michael Chow. It was the president’s second fundraiser during his Los Angeles trip, which began at 2 p.m. Thursday.
On Thursday night, Obama attended a fundraiser at the Brentwood home of Oscar-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow, with proceeds benefiting the Democratic National Committee. Approximately 200 people attended the reception, including Oscar-winning actress Julia Roberts and Emmy-winning actor Bradley Whitford, and 50 the dinner, according to a DNC official.
Obama began his L.A. visit Thursday by touring Cross Campus, a shared workspace campus in Santa Monica, hailing the so-called “millennial” generation as a driving force in rebuilding the nation’s economy, and one that will change the face of the business world.
Today’s fundraiser was Obama’s 31st in Los Angeles County as president. Bill Clinton conducted 36 and George W. Bush and Ronald Reagan eight each through the sixth years of their administrations, according to research by Brendan J. Doherty, an associate professor in the Department of Political Science at the U.S. Naval Academy, for his book “The Rise of the President’s Permanent Campaign.”
George H.W. Bush conducted 10 and Jimmy Carter six during their single terms, according to Doherty.
Obama’s visit is his 20th to Los Angeles or Orange counties since taking office in 2009. Obama has conducted fundraisers during 17 of his 20 trips to Los Angeles or Orange counties as president.
Following the national monument announcement, Obama returned to LAX and boarded Air Force One, bound for San Francisco.
— City News Service