Huffman, Thompson Introduce Bill to Rename Trail in Honor of Late Senator Feinstein

December 13, 2023

Today, Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-04) and Rep. Jared Huffman (CA-02) introduced the Senator Dianne Feinstein Memorial Trail Act to designate a trail in the Headwaters Forest Reserve in honor of the late Senator Dianne Feinstein.

“Dianne Feinstein leaves a profound and enduring legacy – from gun violence prevention to reproductive and human rights, to protecting treasured lands,” said Huffman. “The breadth of her contributions to our state is unmatched, and among them is Northern California’s Headwaters Forest Reserve. Our bill will commemorate her through a memorial trail in the headwaters, which thanks to her will be preserved for future generations.”

“Senator Dianne Feinstein was a tremendous public servant and dedicated champion of California. She put every ounce of her being into serving the people of California, and she leaves behind a legacy unlike any other,” said Thompson. “Lake Tahoe, Joshua Tree National Park, Death Valley Nation Park, and the Headwaters Forest Reserve are examples of her dedication to protecting California. Senator Feinstein was directly responsible for the agreement that led to the United States purchasing the land from Pacific Lumber that became the Headwaters Forest Reserve. Throughout her time in public office, she was a steadfast advocate for protecting our beautiful state, and this bill is a testament to her outstanding efforts to ensure that future Californians will be able to share in the beauty. Her commitment to our state and our country will be remembered for generations to come, and I am proud to introduce legislation to memorialize her name in the Headwaters Forest Reserve.”

Senator Feinstein was the chief architect of the 1999 agreement that led to the creation of the Headwaters Forest Preserve after facilitating the sale of the land from Pacific Lumber to the United States Government.

She fought to protect millions of acres of California deserts and worked to safeguard the Pacific coast from oil drilling. She worked to pass the California Desert Protection Act of 1994, which created Death Valley National Park, Joshua Tree National Park and Mojave National Preserve. She also was shepherded the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act of 2000 through Congress. The law created a fund for environmental improvements to Lake Tahoe, protecting it for generations to come.

The bill would rename the Elk River Trail in the Headwaters Forest Reserve to the Senator Dianne Feinstein Memorial Trail.