A measure to clarify conditions of opening the upper portion of the Bump & Grind Trail has passed both houses of the legislature by unanimous votes, Assemblyman Brian Nestande, R-Palm Desert, announced Thursday.
The Coachella Valley Association of Governments and the Department of Fish and Wildlife have been working to meet conditions of getting the top of the trail open since the passage of AB 880 last year, according to Nestande.
The bill stated the trail would be closed during the lambing season for the Bighorn Sheep, but those months were not stated in statute, Nestande's staff said in a statement. To avoid a lengthy and costly process to codify that, AB 1097 was introduced to provide clarity.
"Additionally, a broad based monitoring program of the Peninsular Bighorn Sheep will be conducted in conjunction with Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan," Nestande's staff said.
Nestande said he's pleased a resolution's been reached to open the top portion of the Bump & Grind, so local residents can return to full use of the trail.
"I greatly appreciate the work of the Coachella Valley Association of Governments to ensure all the requirements of the trail opening are being met," Nestande said.
According to Nestande's staff, the measure now goes to the Governor for signature and it will go into effect Jan. 1, 2014.
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