Statement of Administration Policy: H.R. 2556 - Los Padres Condor Range and River Protection Act

(House)
(Lagomarsino (R) California and 3 others)

The Administration has no objection to House passage of H.R. 2556. However, during further congressional consideration of H.R. 2556, the Administration will seek amendments to the bill which would:

— Eliminate any provision for federally reserved water rights for wilderness lands. The issue of water rights should be addressed under State law.

— Clarify that the Secretary of the Interior will continue to have the responsibility to adjudicate the validity of any mining claims as well as to process and issue mineral patents in accordance with Section 8 of the bill.

— Allow oil and gas leasing along the outer boundary of the proposed Sespe Wilderness area of the Los Padres National Forest in California, with stipulations prohibiting surface disturbance. (Slant drilling procedures could be used to avoid surface disturbance in the area.) Producing oil and gas wells currently operate adjacent to the proposed wilderness area. Continued allowance of slant drilling from outside the wilderness area would protect the Government from loss of oil in the Sespe Wilderness area due to drainage by wells on adjacent private lands.

— Delete a nongermane Interior Committee amendment, regarding lands previously conveyed by the Federal government to the city of Pittsburgh and to Merced County, both in California. The Committee amendment would remove a restriction that these lands be used in perpetuity for public park and recreation uses. Such private relief legislation is inappropriate because the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 provides a method to modify the current use restrictions on these properties.