California IN BRIEF : PALM SPRINGS : Mountain Ranges Named Scenic Area

Interior Secretary Manuel Lujan Jr. has designated portions of two mountain ranges above Palm Springs as the nation’s fourth National Scenic Area, an action that paves the way for stricter management of the region’s wildlife and other resources. The designation encompasses 200,000 acres of the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto mountains, home to Peninsular bighorn sheep, the desert slender salamander, the fringe-toed lizard and other endangered or threatened species. The action was supported by hikers and officials in nine cities in the Coachella Valley, but it was opposed by some developers.