http://action.sierraclub.org/site/MessageViewer?em_id=86201.0 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEJanuary 15, 2009 Contact: Kristina Johnson541-914-9744 Senate Passes Historic Protection for Wilderness, Rivers, Parks  Washington, D.C.- The Senate voted today to safeguard millions of acres ofnew wilderness, protect hundreds of miles of rivers, expand EvergladesNational Park, and protect critical habitat in Wyoming from oil and gasleasing. The Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 passed 73-21. The billprotects more than two million acres of wilderness in eight states,including the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, Oregon’s Mt. Hood, andRocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. "This is the biggest wilderness protection bill in decades," said SierraClub executive director Carl Pope. "Through their leadership on this bill,Senator Reid and Senator Bingaman have helped ensure that we will have awild legacy to pass on to our children and grandchildren. Now futuregenerations will be able to hike in pristine forests from California toWest Virginia. They'll be able to fish America's untouched rivers, watchantelope migrate through Wyoming, and enjoy the majesty of treasures likeEverglades National Park." In addition to protecting new wilderness, the lands package codifies the26-million-acre National Landscape Conservation System, protects hundredsof miles of free-flowing rivers in six states, and designates numerous newNational Scenic Trails, Natural Historic Sites, and, National HeritageAreas across the United States. It also protects over a million acres ofkey hunting and fishing grounds on the Wyoming Range from oil and gasdrilling. "Wilderness, rivers, trails and parks support important tourist economiesacross the country," said Pope. "This legislation will protect the touristdollars and jobs that outdoor recreation generates by keeping our last,best places safe from unchecked industrial development." Overview of the Omnibus Lands Package: The bill codifies and adds permanence to the National LandscapeConservation System, which includes all of the Clinton/Babbitt-eranational monuments, wilderness study areas, and other protectivedesignations, encompassing more than 26 million acres. The bill will protect more than 1 million acres of the Wyoming Rangefrom oil and gas development. The bill also includes the Forest Landscape Restoration Act and the SanJoaquin River Restoration Settlement Act. The package includes five important ocean protections: 1. NOAA Undersea Research Program Act2. The Ocean and Coastal Mapping Integration Act3. The Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act4. The Federal Ocean Acidification Research and Monitoring Act5. The Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program. Wilderness Protection includes: 1. Wild Monongahela Wilderness - WV2. Virginia Ridge and Valley Wilderness - VA3. Mt. Hood Wilderness - OR4. Copper Salmon Wilderness - OR5. Cascade Siskiyou National Monument (Includes Soda Mt. Wilderness) - OR6. Owyhee Public Land Management - ID7. Sabinoso Wilderness - NM8. Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Wilderness - MI9. Oregon Badlands Wilderness - OR10. Spring Basin Wilderness - OR11. Eastern Sierra and Northern San Gabriel Wilderness - CA12. Riverside County Wilderness - CA13. Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park Wilderness - CA14. Rocky Mountain National Park Wilderness - CO15. Washington County - UT   ###   Kristina JohnsonDeputy Press SecretarySierra ClubOffice: (415) 977-5619Cell: (541) 914-974485 Second Street - 2nd FloorSan Francisco, CA [log in to unmask]
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