Big Sur Wilderness and Conservation Act of 2002
Public Law 107-370 · H.R. 4750 · 107th Congress · began in the House
Signed by George W. Bush (R) on Dec 19, 2002 · Public Lands and Natural Resources
Sponsor: Rep. Sam Farr (D-CA-17)
Cosponsors (10): Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Rep. Susan Davis,
Passage votes
- HouseUnanimous consent
- SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Big Sur Wilderness and Conservation Act of 2002 - Designates specified lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Forest Service, or the National Park Service in California as wilderness, as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System, and as additions to the Ventana, Silver Peak, or Pinnacles Wilderness areas.
Provides for livestock grazing in such areas to be administered in accordance with the Wilderness Act. Reserves for each designated wilderness area a quantity of water sufficient to fulfill the purposes of this Act and directs the Secretary of the Interior or Agriculture, as appropriate, and all other U.S. officers to protect such water rights.
Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to amend the management plans for the Ventana and Silver Peak Wildernesses to authorize the Forest Supervisor of the Los Padres National Forest to take appropriate actions for fire prevention and watershed protection in such areas. Incorporates any special provisions in the management plan for such Wildernesses into the Los Padres National Forest management plan.
Permits military flights and flight training over, and continued non-motorized access for military training in, such wilderness areas.
Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a 5-year pilot program to eradicate invasive plant and animal species in the Monterey District of Los Padres National Forest. Permits program activities to include actions to address invasive species problems on nearby private land or other land that is not Forest Service property if: (1) the land owner or responsible government agency head seeks to participate in the program; and (2) the invasive species occurs on the land and poses a threat to national forest lands. Authorizes appropriations.
Authorizes such Secretary to permit the construction and maintenance of a new water line and spring box improvements adjacent to an existing domestic water service in the Silver Peak Wilderness.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Natural Resources Committee · House · discharged from, referred toSubcommittee: Federal Lands Subcommittee; Forests and Forest Health Subcommittee
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 13 actions.
- Dec 19, 2002Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 107-370.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Dec 10, 2002PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Nov 20, 2002FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- Nov 15, 2002FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On passage Passed without objection.
- FloorFloor · Considered by unanimous consent.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Hansen asked unanimous consent to discharge from committee and consider.
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from House Natural Resources Committee
- May 20, 2002CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Federal Lands Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Forests and Forest Health Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
- May 16, 2002CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Natural Resources Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.