Feather River Canyons
National Monument Proposal
The Friends of Plumas Wilderness (FoPW) are proposing a National Monument within the Plumas National Forest. The exact boundaries have not been determined yet. At the public meeting in Quincy the FoPW said the monument boundary could include any or all parts of the Plumas National Forest.
Click here to see the map.
View Sierra Access Coalition's letter of non-support to the Plumas County Board of Supervisors.
The Land Management Plan for the monument would not be created until AFTER the monument is approved by congress or the president. This makes it extremely hard to support. During the Plumas NF Off-Highway Vehicle planning project a decade ago, members of the FoPW were publicly against the designation of roads so it is doubtful roads would remain open in the national monument.
The FoPW map refers to managing the land according to the Sierra Nevada Ecoregional Plan of 1999. This is a massive 182 page document which is difficult to read. However, it should be noted it does not provide a land management plan. So it's unclear how the proposed monument would be managed or even what the benefit would be. The FoPW cites protection of land, water, and wildlife. However, those resources are currently managed and protected by the Plumas National Forest Land Management Plan and federal laws. When they were asked at the recent public meetings what would be done that the Forest Service isn't already doing, they didn't have an explanation. It is unclear what benefit, if any, the national monument would have.
Sierra Access Coalition absolutely supports protecting important resources such as watersheds, cultural resources, and wildlife habitat. However, this proposal could potentially restrict or eliminate motorized vehicles and "resource removal", which would further impact logging, thinning, mining, grazing, and other resources as well as impacting the counties' economies.
Butte County submitted an excellent comment letter which, in part, says:
"The proposers of the NM did not lay out any specifics as to how National Monument status would additionally protect over and above already existing protections, or indicate how these regulations are not adequate, for example:--Archaeological identification and preservation are already covered by the Archaeological Resources Protection Act
--Paleontological concerns are already covered by the Paleontological Resources Preservation Act
--Native American artifacts are already covered in the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act
--If a site is "historical", it is already covered with the National Historic Preservation Act
--There are already numerous and restrictive regulations governing water quality, cultural and historical site preservations, wildlife, aquatic life and plant life analysis and conservation, and participation by Tribal entities; it is unclear how a NM designation furthers or improves upon these requirements, and thus begs the question if the National Monument designation is even necessary."
Click here to read the full Butte County letter 1/10/23
Click here to read the Friends of Plumas Wilderness' response to Butte County 2/23/23
Click here to read the Sierra County letter 5/16/23
Click here to read Sierra Access Coalition's letter 5/21/23
Links to more information:
Statement of facts by Bill Martin opposing the National Monument
"National Monuments and Antiquities Act" - by Congressional Research Service (this document provides official government information on the process of designating National Monuments)
Sierra Daily News.com article titled "Plumas and Sierra Counties Unaware of Proposed National Monument"
Blue Ribbon Coalition article "Three New National Monuments and Expansion Proposed in California"
Friends of Plumas Wilderness "Feather River Canyons National Monument Proposal"
Friends of Plumas Wilderness website
30X30 California website
We encourage you to contact your Plumas County Supervisor to voice your opinion on this proposal.
https://www.plumascounty.us/98/Board-of-Supervisors
SAC members: We will represent you by taking your thoughts and concerns to the Plumas Co. Board of Supervisors and to our representatives in Congress and in the White House. Send your thoughts to info@sierraaccess.com
SAC will continue to post more information as it becomes available.