Central Coast Heritage Protection Act

The Central Coast Heritage Protection Act would designate a large set of federal lands in California as wilderness, add designated scenic areas, create a new Special Management Area (Fox Mountain) within the Los Padres National Forest, and extend Wild and Scenic River protections to several California streams and tributaries. It also directs studies on a new Condor National Scenic Trail and on backcountry nonmotorized recreation and vehicle-access opportunities, and it clarifies tribal access for traditional purposes. In short, the bill would expand federal land protections in the Central Coast region, limit certain development and extractive uses, and guide future recreation planning and tribal coordination. Key elements include: (1) about 35,000+ acres in Caliente Mountain, Soda Lake, and Temblor Range, plus numerous additions to existing wilderness areas in the Los Padres NF and nearby BLM lands; (2) two new scenic areas (Condor Ridge and Black Mountain) with strict use limitations; (3) a new Fox Mountain Special Management Area with a long-range management plan to balance conservation and recreation; (4) designation of multiple river segments in the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, providing federal protection for wild, scenic, and recreational river portions; (5) a set of required studies (Condor National Scenic Trail feasibility; a Forest Service vehicle-trail study; and nonmotorized recreation opportunities) and a Tribal access/consultation framework.