LETTER: California Elected Officials Support the PUBLIC Lands Act

Dear Senators Padilla and Feinstein,

As local elected leaders from communities across California, we are writing to express our strong support for the Protecting Unique and Beautiful Landscapes by Investing in California (PUBLIC) Lands Act (S.1459).

Thank you for championing this critical legislation in the U.S. Senate.

Today, more than ever, our communities are calling for the protection of our natural public lands and rivers for future generations while ensuring that all Californians have equitable access to enjoy them.

The PUBLIC Lands Act would protect and increase access to more than one million acres of public lands and well over 500 miles of rivers throughout California spanning three regions: key forests and rivers in Northwest California, the Los Padres National Forest and the Carrizo Plain National Monument on the Central Coast, and the San Gabriel Mountains near Los Angeles.

We strongly believe that the PUBLIC Lands Act is critical to the future success and well-being of our California communities for the following reasons:

CLIMATE CHANGE: Protecting our natural public lands and rivers is key to California’s efforts to address climate change. The PUBLIC Lands Act will help the state achieve its goals by reducing wildfire risk, protecting public lands from polluting extractive industries, increasing carbon sequestration, protecting biodiversity, and preserving wildlife corridors.

ACCESS TO THE OUTDOORS: Far too many Californians lack access to the beauty and benefits of the outdoors across our state, particularly low-income communities and communities of color who experience barriers like limited transportation, lack of protections for nearby lands, and fewer resources for park maintenance. The PUBLIC Lands Act will expand protections for public lands and rivers near communities with limited access to parks and the outdoors.

PUBLIC HEALTH: The PUBLIC Lands Act is a critical investment in the health and well-being of communities throughout California. The pandemic has shown us how important it is to have stronger protections for our lands and rivers that contribute to improved air quality, and more opportunities for recreation, which benefits physical, mental, and emotional health.

ECONOMIC RECOVERY: Protecting public lands and rivers benefits economic recovery. According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, in 2019 California’s outdoor recreation economy contributed more than any other state to the US Gross Domestic Product (GDP), generating $57.4 billion and over 575,000 jobs in total. The PUBLIC Lands Act will invest in these industries, and help attract business investments in communities across the state. This legislation will also increase stewardship jobs that can quickly get people back to work.

Our state faces many challenges, and a healthy and prosperous future for California is dependent on the well-being of all of our people, the economic thriving of our communities, and the vibrancy and health of our environment.

We believe that passing the PUBLIC Lands Act is an integral strategy for achieving all of these goals and more, and urge the U.S. Senate to pass this critical legislation.

Sincerely,

Emmanuel J. Estrada
Mayor, City of Baldwin Park

John Haschak
Supervisor, Mendocino County Board of Supervisors, 3rd District

Steve Madrone
Supervisor, Humboldt County Board of Supervisors

Chance Cutrano
City Councilmember, Town of Fairfax

Andy Pease
City Councilmember, City of San Luis Obispo

Jan Marx
City Councilmember, City of San Luis Obispo

Juan Orozco
City Councilmember, City of Ukiah

Emily Goldstein
Vice-Mayor, City of Arcata

Leslie Castellano
City Councilmember, City of Eureka

Gregg Hart
Supervisor, Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors

Jenelle Osborne
Mayor, City of Lompoc

Matt LaVere
Supervisor, Ventura County Board of Supervisors, District 1

Joan Hartmann
Supervisor, Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors

Susan Seaman
Mayor, City of Eureka

Mike Wilson
Supervisor, Humboldt County Board of Supervisors

Dan Gjerde
Supervisor, Mendocino County Board of Supervisors

Das Williams
Supervisor, Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors

Bruce Gibson
Supervisor, San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors

Dawn Addis
City Councilmember, Morro Bay City Council

Stacy Atkins-Salazar
Mayor, City of Arcata

Sarah Schaefer
City Councilmember, City of Arcata

Andrew Johnson
Director, Trinity Public Utility District

Eloise Reyes
CA State Assembly Member, California State Assembly

Bill Dodd
CA State Senator, California State Senate

Kati Moulton
City Councilmember, City of Eureka

Natalie Arroyo
City Councilmember, City of Eureka

Salvador Solorio-Ruiz
City Councilmember, Delano City Council

Henry Stern
CA State Senator, California State Senate

Linda Parks
Supervisor, County of Ventura

Katie Rice
Supervisor, County of Marin

Sheila Kuehl
Supervisor, Los Angeles County

Betsy Stix
Mayor, City of Ojai

Madge Strong
City Councilmember, Willits City Council

Todd Gloria
Mayor, City of San Diego

Sophie Hahn
City Councilmember, Berkeley City Council District 5

Kathryn Barger
Supervisor, Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors

Scott Bauer
City Councilmember, Eureka City Council

Timothy Sandoval
Mayor, City of Pomona

Marilyn Sanabria
City Councilmember, City of Huntington Park

Nithya Raman
City Councilmember, Los Angeles City Council

Tina Fredericks
School Board Member, Pasadena Unified School District

Victor Preciado
City Councilmember, City of Pomona

Carlos Goytia
Director, Three Valleys Municipal Water District

Al Rios
Mayor, City of South Gate

Hilda L. Solis
Supervisor, Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, District One

Carmen Ramirez
Supervisor, Ventura County Board of Supervisors

Anthony Portantino
CA State Senator, California State Senate

Heidi Harmon
Former Mayor, City of San Luis Obispo

Jason Pu
Former City Councilmember, City of San Gabriel

Igor Tregub
Rent Board Commissioner (Ret.), Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board

Chris Wright
Former Supervisor, Calaveras County

Belén Bernal
Former Mayor, City of South Gate