Soda Lake and its surroundings became unusual sights on April 8.
For one, a historically wet winter tremendously rose the lake’s water level. Rains also caused a super bloom of wildflowers in the area, which in turn, drew U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) to the Carrizo Plain National Monument to discuss reintroduction of the Central Coast Heritage Protection Act.
Representing the 24th District that spans Santa Barbara County and parts of San Luis Obispo and Ventura counties, Carbajal hiked parts of Carrizo with advocates from the Sierra Club, CalWild, Los Padres ForestWatch, and Friends of Carrizo Plain.
“This legislation puts 250,000 acres into wilderness protection, and includes the Carrizo Plain monument as one of these areas, and native plants and animal species,” Carbajal addressed the small crowd in front of Soda Lake. “It’s protected in such a way to prevent oil drilling, to expand the condor trail, which will connect LA to Monterey [counties], and much more. We’re lucky to have this majestic place in our backyard.”
The bill aims to expand federal protection for Carrizo and the Los Padres National Forest. It’s done rounds in the Legislature since 2014 when it was introduced by then 24th District Rep. Lois Capps (D-Santa Barbara) and U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-California). Carbajal has been reintroducing it since at least 2020. The U.S. House of Representatives passed the bill several times, and President Joe Biden supported it last year, but the Senate has always stalled it. This year too, the House supported the bill, and it has been sent to the House Natural Resources Committee.
Northern Chumash Tribal Council [NCTC] member Mike Khus-Zarate told New Times the bill’s successful passage also ensures protection for cultural resources of Native American groups. He added that there are animals and plants that are important for them too.
“We remain concerned about the pronghorn antelope; their numbers have been precarious,” Khus-Zarate said. “The legless lizard is located right here in the Temblor mountains, where oil development and dirt roads are also located. Their habitat is very, very limited now.”
Khus-Zarate joined Carbajal on the April 8 hike as the chairperson for the Carrizo Plain National Monument Native American Advisory Committee. He plans to agendize discussion and support for the bill at the committee’s next meeting in July.
“Our understanding is that Carrizo is a gathering area for people in the Valley [the Yokuts], the Salinan people, and the Chumash,” he said. “The purpose of our [committee] is to set aside all other issues we contend with elsewhere and focus on protecting the resources at Carrizo. On that, everyone is united.”
Now, the heritage protection bill also seeks to prevent new oil and gas leases. Further, it could provide a sustainable source of clean water for drinking and agriculture for communities in SLO, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties. The bill strives to sustain the futures of 468 species of wildlife, 1,200 plant species, and outdoor activities like hiking, camping, hunting, and fishing.
For Daniel Rossman and Bryant Baker—the Southern California Mountains Landscape director and Los Padre ForestWatch’s director of conservation and research, respectively—wilderness designation is the most exciting part of the bill.
“‘Wilderness’ is a status bestowed on federal public lands,” Rossman said. “It’s the notion that we should leave some places wild, and it takes an act of Congress to designate.”
The reintroduced bill would label Soda Lake, Caliente Mountain, Temblor Range, Diablo Caliente, and Fox Mountain with new wilderness designations. It would also expand on the eight existing wilderness areas of Chumash, Dick Smith, Garcia, Machesna Mountain, Matilija, San Rafael, Santa Lucia, and Sespe.
“The things you want to see in wilderness aren’t roads, oil drilling, logging, and mining,” Baker said. “We want to keep them from becoming industrialized and mechanized.” Δ
This article appears in Apr 13-23, 2023.