Opponents of Rep. Judy Chu’s plan to limit public access to the San Gabriel Mountains will gather at her Pasadena office at 2 pm today. A growing movement of citizens and elected officials are protesting against her lobbying efforts to have 620,000 acres of the San Gabriel and San Bernardino Mountains designated as a national monument. They will deliver letters of opposition to Representative Chu on Monday October 6, 2014 at 2pm. Local groups will speak out against the plan and hold a media event outside Rep Chu’s office at 527 S. Lake Ave, Pasadena CA 91101.
Chu is asking President Barack Obama to circumvent Congress where her bill, HR4858, is now being studied by a Congressional committee to designate the San Gabriel Mountains as a National Recreation Area. Chu wants Obama to issue an executive order declaring the mountains a National Monument with an executive order as early as this month without proper studies or public input. The result will be to limit substantially public access to and use of the mountains, which have been open to the public for over a century.
Event Location:
The field office of Congresswoman Judy Chu
527 S. Lake Ave, Pasadena CA 91101
Monday October 6th, 2:00-3:30pm
Public Officials raise concerns about fast-tracked National Monument plan
San Bernardino County supervisors unanimously expressed serious concern for the impact of Rep. Chu’s plan on their county. Several Los Angeles County supervisors have also expressed concern over Chu’s legislation. Residents and public officials have created a grassroots movement against Chu’s campaign for further federalization of local lands.
Elected officials independently opposing the National Monument designation are city council members from Arcadia, Bradbury, Claremont, Diamond Bar, Glendora, La Verne, Monrovia, Rosemead and West Covina.
Local leaders have concerns over the impact to our water supply if the San Gabriel River is included in a National Monument. Recreation access and land usage may be restricted if this plan is implemented. Winter sports, off road biking and hiking, atvs, rifle ranges, horseback riding and many other activities and businesses could be curtailed.
Other groups attending and delivering letters of opposition will be the California Trail Users Coalition, Pasadena Bait Club, Public Lands for Public People, SoCal Cycling, Mt. Baldy Lodge, Off-Piste Hikers, Glendora Community Conservancy, San Gabriel Valley Regional Conservancy (SGVRC), and California Off- Road Vehicle Association (CORVA).
