New San Gabriel Protection Act Locks Down 29,000 Acres of Wilderness, Preserves Existing Water Rights

This bill, the San Gabriel Mountains, Foothills, and Rivers Protection Act of 2025, is primarily about conservation, permanently protecting nearly 29,000 acres of federal land in Southern California’s Angeles National Forest. It designates four new or expanded wilderness areas—Condor Peak Wilderness, Yerba Buena Wilderness, and additions to both the San Gabriel and Sheep Mountain Wildernesses—which immediately withdraws that land from mining, mineral leasing, and other forms of development. Think of it as hitting the permanent save button on a huge chunk of the San Gabriel Mountains.

The Permanent Protection Plan: What’s Off-Limits

The core of this legislation is securing the future of these areas. By adding approximately 28,841 acres to the National Wilderness Preservation System (Title I), the bill ensures that these lands remain wild, which means no new roads, no motor vehicles, and no permanent structures, managed under the strict rules of the Wilderness Act. For the busy commuter or the weekend hiker, this means the natural character of these mountains is officially protected for recreation and environmental health. The bill also explicitly states that activities outside the protected boundaries won’t be stopped just because they can be seen or heard from inside the wilderness, which is a common-sense provision that avoids creating vague “buffer zones.”

River Designations and Future Studies

Beyond the mountains, the bill focuses on water. It immediately designates specific segments of Little Rock Creek and its tributaries as National Wild and Scenic Rivers (Sec. 111). This designation provides a high level of protection for these waterways, safeguarding their free-flowing condition and water quality. Crucially, the bill also mandates that the Secretary of Agriculture study three segments of the San Gabriel River—the East Fork, North Fork, and West Fork—for potential future inclusion in the Wild and Scenic Rivers System (Sec. 112). These studies must be completed within three years after funding is secured, and they require partnership with state and local stakeholders. This is the first step toward potentially locking down protection for major portions of the San Gabriel River system.

The Fine Print: Balancing Conservation and Existing Use

While this is a strong conservation bill, it makes sure to address existing realities. For instance, the bill explicitly allows for the continuation of recreational rock climbing, including the use and maintenance of fixed anchors, provided it aligns with the Wilderness Act (Sec. 102). It also doesn't prevent military aircraft from conducting low-level overflights or using existing flight training routes over the new wilderness areas. These provisions recognize common uses and avoid unnecessary conflicts with established activities.

Perhaps the most important carve-out involves water rights. Section 124 allows the Secretary of Agriculture to issue special use permits to owners of existing water transport or diversion facilities located within the Pleasant View Ridge Wilderness. This means if you own a facility that was there before the land was designated as wilderness, and you have a valid state water right with an earlier priority date, you can continue to operate, maintain, and even reconstruct that facility—if moving it outside the wilderness isn't “practicable or feasible.” This ensures that existing water users aren't cut off by the new protections.

Access for Local Tribes and Temporary Closures

The bill also addresses the rights of local Indian Tribes, requiring the Secretary to ensure access to all designated wilderness and river areas for traditional cultural and religious purposes (Sec. 123). Furthermore, it allows the Secretary to temporarily close specific portions of these areas to the general public upon a Tribe’s request to protect the privacy of religious activities. Any such closure must affect the “smallest practicable area for the minimum period of time necessary.” For the average hiker or camper, this means you might occasionally find a small area temporarily closed, but it’s limited in scope and duration to respect cultural practices.