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Pelosi: National Parks Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Bill Renaming Golden Gate National Parks
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Contact:Brendan Daly/Nadeam Elshami, 202-226-7616
Washington, D.C.- Speaker Nancy Pelosi submitted testimony today in support of legislation she authored, the Golden Gate National Parks and Technical Corrections bill. The bill, H.R. 6305 would redesignate the Golden Gate National Recreation Area as a National Park and to rename it the Golden Gate National Parks. The legislation would not affect the administration of the park nor would it limit recreational access to the park. The House Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands held a hearing on the bill today.
“I am pleased that the House Subcommittee on National Parks took the time to consider this bill, which will establish our nation’s 59th National Park in the San Francisco Bay Area. The Golden Gate National Parks is a national treasure truly deserving of the highest National Park Service designation. While the designation and name of the park will change, the administrative policies will not be affected nor will access for recreational users of the space be limited.
“I would like to thank the Chairman Grijalva, Ranking Member Bishop and members of the National Parks Subcommittee who participated in today’s hearing. I would also like to extend my appreciation to Craig Middleton, Executive Director of the Presidio Trust, who appeared today to testify on behalf of the bill. I look forward to working with the full Natural Resources Committee to bring this legislation to the House floor in a timely manner.”
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Background:
The Golden Gate National Parks offer Bay Area residents and visitors the opportunity to escape from the City and connect with nature and our nation’s history. The Golden Gate National Parks are home to sites used by the Coastal Miwok and Ohlone people, the Spanish missionaries and military, Mexican settlers, Gold Rush prospectors, and Civil War military units. There remain many historic sites preserved within the Parks, including the Cliff House Restaurant and the Sutro Baths in San Francisco, as well as decommissioned army bases and fortifications dating back to 1776.
The Golden Gate National Parks also offer visitors access to an amazingly diverse natural area. The Parks contain expansive forests and costal lands, such as Sweeney Ridge in San Mateo County and Muir Woods in Marin. There is also an abundance of plant and animal life in the Parks with more than 1,200 identified plant and animal species, including 33 threatened and endangered species.
In the years since the establishment of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area almost 40 years ago, the park units have collectively been referred to as Golden Gate National Parks. As natural and historic sites have been added to this park system, the need has grown to recognize the system of parks for what they are, which is one of our nation’s great natural treasures.
This bill recognizes the importance of Golden Gate National Parks to the history and future of our nation and rewards it with a designation befitting its place among the most spectacular national parks in our nation.
The redesignation and name change is supported by a number of local organizations, including the Mayor’s Office, People for a Golden Gate National Recreation Area, the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, the San Francisco Convention and Visitors Bureau, the San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
