HR 1995, "Pt. Reyes National Seashore Farmland Protection Act" has picked up momentum in the House with 230 co-sponsors. The problem is Rep. Lynn Woolsey is misleading both Californians and her fellow Congressmen about its intent and its support.
The area in question is 38,000 acres surrounding the 71,000 acre Pt. Reyes National Seashore, north of San Francisco on Highway 1. This picturesque region consists of dairy, sheep and beef ranches, nursery crops, hay, silage & field crops, and vineyards that contributes millions to the economy and many jobs.
Promising to protect these private farmlands from non-agricultural develop-ment, HR 1995 (and the Senate companion bill, S 1372, sponsored by Sens. Boxer and Feinstein) would put productive farmlands into the National Seashore and the hands of the National Park Service. Rep. Woolsey assures Congress that she has the full support of the landowners and farmers in question. Well, they dont think so!
Some 90 farm families, the CA Farm Bureau Federation, the 4 affected County Farm Bureaus, CA Cattlemens Assoc., and CA Wool Growers Assoc. have written letters and held meetings exhibiting their continued opposition. ALRA Executive Director, Chuck Cushman, participated in a strategy session with Citizens for Protecting Farmland (CPF), an organization formed to provide information and stop this Park expansion legislation. CPF held a "sign-waving" at Woolseys Santa Rosa office mid-August to show that her claims of local support are untrue.
The League of Private Property Voters informed each US Congressman that a pre-election, 1999 Vote Index is planned for publication in October and that co-sponsorship of HR 1995 will be included in the score. Contact your Congressman and ask that they oppose HR 1995 and to revoke their sponsorship.