H.R. 403: To establish the Clear Creek National Recreation Area in San Benito and Fresno Counties, California, to designate the Joaquin Rocks Wilderness in such counties, and for other purposes.
HR 6286 was introduced on August 2, 2012 by Rep. Sam Farr and died in committee at the close of the 112th Congress. HR 1776 is almost a re-introduction of HR 6286 with the exception HR 1776 creates 21,000 acres of new Wilderness which HR 6286 did not contain. HR 6286 is listed here as a reference and for compairson purposes.
After a “temporary closure” of 6 years, the Clear Creek Management Area reopens March 15 under a new management plan. Under this new plan, the Bureau of Land Management (“BLM”) is allowing limited day-use access to individuals in licensed vehicles on specified routes into the area most prized by rockhounds (within the Area of Critical Environmental Concerns – “ACEC”) for a total of 5 days per year. It could be 5 separate trips, 5 consecutive days, or some combination not exceeding 5 days per year. Each individual is required to get a permit for each visit into that area, but there is no fee involved. Currently, each person needs to contact the Hollister field office of the BLM at least 48 hours in advance via email and provide name, vehicle license & description, the locations we wish to visit within the ACEC, and the days we want to visit. That area will be for day-use only so camping would need to be outside of the ACEC, but they are enlarging their camping areas outside the ACEC to accommodate the additional visitors to the ACEC area. If you request an application to visit this area, please be sure to request clear instructions regarding entry and exit as routes within the ACEC area are limited use and may be blocked to those without permits. This is the email address I was given to use to request a permit: to enter the ACEC area: blm_ca_hollister_fo_ccma@blm.gov. Within the Condon Peak region, vehicles entering that area will require payment of a $5 vehicle fee.
For more information, please contact:
Bureau of Land Management, Hollister Field Office 20 Hamilton Court Hollister, CA 95023 Phone: (831) 630-5000
