Sen. Dodd Comments on President’s Berryessa Snow Mountain Expansion Support

SACRAMENTO – Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, issued the following statement today in response to reports that President Joe Biden plans to expand Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument. The president’s expected action comes as Sen. Dodd’s own resolution urging Berryessa expansion is heard in a state Senate committee early next week.

“I thank the president for recognizing the incredible beauty and rich resources that make Berryessa Snow Mountain one of the most scenic and diverse landscapes in all of Northern California,” Sen. Dodd said. “It is vital to include this additional piece, which was home to native tribes for thousands of years. We can recognize the land’s cultural significance while protecting it for generations to come.”  

In 2015, Sen. Dodd authored Assembly Joint Resolution 4, the first time a state Legislature passed a measure asking the president to create a national monument. Following the extensive campaign by state, local, tribal and federal representatives, President Barack Obama on July 10, 2015 designated 330,780 acres in the California Coastal Range in Colusa, Glenn, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Solano and Yolo counties as Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument. The rugged land boasts abundant wildlife, plants and other natural resources, and is a haven for outdoor recreation. It is managed by the Mendocino National Forest and the Bureau of Land Management.

“I am proud to have been on hand when President Obama finalized the official designation,” Sen. Dodd said

The designation arrives amid vanishing wildlands around the world. Nationwide, natural land is declining at a rate of one football field every 30 seconds, threatening plant and animal species and contributing to climate change. In response, both President Joe Biden and Gov. Gavin Newsom have championed the so-called 30X30 goal, which sets aside 30% of natural and coastal waters by 2030 to protect habitat, preserve history and maintain recreational opportunities.

Now, proposals before the president and Congress would expand Berryessa Snow Mountain Monument by 3,900 acres in Lake County. They also support renaming the area commonly known as Walker Ridge to Molok Luyuk, which means Condor Ridge in the Patwin language, reflecting the area’s cultural significance to many federally recognized tribes in the region. By doing so, it would also provide opportunities for partnerships between the tribes, BLM and the U.S. Forest Service.

Sen. Dodd’s Senate Joint Resolution 10 helps fulfill state and federal goals by supporting federal approval of the monument’s expansion. The state Senate Natural Resources committee is expected to endorse Sen. Dodd’s bill in a hearing on Monday.

###

Senator Bill Dodd represents the 3rd Senate District, which includes all or portions of Napa, Yolo, Sonoma, Solano, Sacramento and Contra Costa counties. More information on Senator Bill Dodd can be found at www.senate.ca.gov/dodd.