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Agenda Item No. 5(B) CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EL CERRITO Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Wilderness Act WHEREAS, on September 3, 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law the Wilderness Act, passed by the United States Congress, establishing the National Wilderness Preservation System (NWPS) and set aside an initial 9.1 million acres of wildlands for use and benefit of the American peoples; and WHEREAS, the 1964 Wilderness Act defines “Wilderness” as areas where the earth and its communities of life are left unchanged by people, where the primary forces of nature are in control, and where people themselves are visitors who do not remain; and WHEREAS, the NWPS was established for the use and enjoyment of the American people and provides many direct and in-direct benefits, such as those relating to ecological, geological, scientific, educational, scenic, spiritual, economic, recreational, historical and cultural uses and activities; and WHEREAS, over the past 50 years, Congress has added over 100 million acres to this unique land preservation system with America’s support for wilderness and the 757 wilderness areas within the NWPS are managed by all four federal land managing agencies, the Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, Forest Service, and National Park Service; and WHEREAS, a myriad of these protected wilderness areas are located throughout California such as the Yosemite Wilderness area, Sequoia-Kings Canyon, Pinnacles Wilderness and Phillip Burton Wilderness located at the Point Reyes Peninsula, places Bay Area residents often frequent and enjoy; and WHEREAS, this year, our Nation celebrates “50 Years of Wilderness,” and the 50th Anniversary of the Wilderness Act upholding the Act to preserve America’s natural habitats for future generations to enjoy. NOW THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of El Cerrito hereby celebrates and commemorates the 50th Anniversary of the Wilderness Act in the City of El Cerrito and calls upon all residents to embrace our Nation’s legacy of protecting and preserving the Country’s vast wilderness areas for future generations to come. Dated: August 19, 2014 Janet Abelson, Mayor