Bill to establish massive Bay Area wildlife refuge complex launched

Bay Area Congressmen George Miller and Pete Stark are currently pushing legislation that proposes to join together seven local wildlife refuges.

The bill, HR 6479, would create the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex and would unite the Bay Area's seven separate national wildlife refuges into a single complex to leverage greater federal funding for these unique habitats. The refuges that would be brought together range from San Francisco to the Monterey Bay.

"The Bay Area's wildlife refuges are an essential part of our community. By uniting these refuges, we strengthen our opportunities for greater federal support," Stark (D-Fremont) said in a statement. "That support is vital if we are to save rare California wildlife from extinction, fight global warming, and preserve a beautiful part of our country that can be enjoyed by future generations."

Miller (D-Martinez) agreed:

"The wetlands and estuaries now under protection are an important part of the health of the Bay-Delta. This new bill will help ensure that these vital areas remain a viable habitat for marine animals, fish and wildlife, and will protect this powerful economic engine for the Bay Area."

If made into law, the complex would include the Antioch Dunes, Don Edwards San Francisco Bay, Ellicott Slough, Farallon, Marin Islands, Salinas River, and San Pablo Bay national wildlife refuges. Together the complex would constitute the nation's largest collection of urban wildlife refuges, totaling more than 46,000 acres. The sites included are home to more than 128 threatened or endangered animals.

U.S. Rep. Sam Farr (D-Salinas) joined Miller and Stark in authoring the legislation.