Senate Unanimously Passes Four Wilderness Bills - Legislation will protect wild places in California, New Mexico, Washington, and Puerto Rico — eWire Historical Archive

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Senate Unanimously Passes Four Wilderness Bills - Legislation will protect wild places in California, New Mexico, Washington, and Puerto Rico

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Senate Unanimously Passes Four Wilderness Bills

Senate Unanimously Passes Four Wilderness Bills - Legislation will protect wild places in California, New Mexico, Washington, and Puerto Rico

WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, Jul. 26 -/E-Wire/-- The U.S. Senate today unanimously passed four conservation measures that will preserve some of the country's most beautiful wild places for generations to come. This Senate vote comes as Americans are getting out with their families for summer vacations, with many choosing to travel to and explore our country's natural heritage. The legislation would protect wild lands in California, New Mexico, Washington, and Puerto Rico.

"It isn't often we get to thank the entire U.S. Senate," said Mike Matz, executive director of the Campaign for America's Wilderness. "But these public servants are showing the best in bipartisan spirit on behalf of our natural heritage, and we applaud their foresight by acting on these four bills. Protecting some of our last remaining wilderness represents the best interests of Americans, now and in the future, and all 100 senators deserve Americans' thanks. We are grateful to all of the bills' sponsors for their diligence and dedication in crafting popularly-supported conservation legislation."

The first of these, the Northern California Coastal Wild Heritage Wilderness Act (S.128 and H.R. 233), was introduced by California Senators Barbara Boxer (D) and Dianne Feinstein (D). Representative Mike Thompson (D-CA) sponsored the companion legislation in the House. The bill would designate as wilderness over 300,000 acres of spectacular scenery and important fish and wildlife habitat, including the King Range â the longest stretch of undeveloped coastline in the lower 48 states. In addition, 21 miles of the Black Butte River in Mendocino County will be designated as a Wild and Scenic River. This popular legislation, which is also backed by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R), has broad, local bipartisan support and would guarantee outstanding opportunities for recreation, such as riding horses, hunting, fishing, hiking, and whitewater rafting for future generations. The House Resources Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health held a hearing on the measure on July 14th.

The second bill, the Ojito Wilderness Act (S.156 and H.R.362), preserves wilderness in the state of New Mexico â the largest wilderness to be designated in the state in 18 years. Introduced by Senators Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and Pete Domenici (R-NM), with the companion bill in the House sponsored by Representatives Tom Udall (D-NM) and Heather Wilson (R-NM), the Ojito Wilderness Act would permanently protect more than 11,000 acres of picturesque public land northwest of Albuquerque. The area is home to mule deer, antelope, and elk, as well as Navajo and Pueblo cultural sites.

And the Wild Sky Wilderness Act (S.152 and H.R.851), introduced by Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA), would designate 106,000 acres in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest as wilderness. The bill is sponsored in the House by Representative Rick Larsen (D-WA) and cosponsored by Rep. Jay Inslee (D-WA). A little more than an hour from downtown Seattle and Everett, Wild Sky is a rugged landscape with thousand-foot cliffs, high alpine peaks, cascading waterfalls, lush old-growth forests, and crystal clear rivers. The bill is backed by dozens of local businesses, citizens groups and elected officials from the Sky Valley.

The Caribbean National Forest Act (S.272 and H.R.539) would designate 10,000 acres of forest in Puerto Rico as the "El Toro Wilderness," the first tropical forest wilderness in the United States. New York Senators Hillary Clinton (D) and Charles Schumer (D) sponsored the bill; the companion bill was introduced in the House by Puerto Rico's Resident Commissioner Luis Fortuno (R). The new wilderness area is home to the endangered Puerto Rican parrot, one of the most threatened species in the world.

Today outside of Alaska, just 2.5 percent of the nation is permanently protected as wilderness. Last year, President Bush signed two bills adding more than 800,000 acres of wilderness in Nevada and Wisconsin to the National Wilderness Preservation System.

Contact: Kathryn Seck, Campaign for America's Wilderness (202) 266-0436

Campaign for America's Wilderness

Kathryn Seck, Campaign for America's Wilderness (202) 266-0436

http://www.leaveitwild.org

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