In the last eight years, the Bush administration opened up America's wilderness to increased logging, threatened critical habitats and allowed increased pollution into our air and water. Under Bush, record-low additions were made to national parks, and to wilderness and wildlife refuges. Additionally, many endangered species (like polar bears) lost vital protections.
In January, the Senate quickly took action to reverse this dismal record and passed the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 — S.22. This legislation will protect over two million acres of wilderness in nine states — California, Oregon, Colorado, Idaho, New Mexico, Michigan, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia — including parts of the Sierra Nevada mountains in California, Mt. Hood in Oregon and the Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado.
Protecting public lands as wilderness will ensure these wild areas are around for future generations and provide new jobs and new sources of revenue for rural communities. The Senate took action after a year of filibusters. Now it is time for the House to protect wilderness areas.
Thank you for working to build a better world.
Kate Stayman-London, Campaign Manager
CREDO Action from Working Assets
