KEY LEGISLATION IN OMNIBUS PUBLIC LANDS MANAGEMENT ACT OF 2009
KEY LEGISLATION IN OMNIBUS PUBLIC LANDS MANAGEMENT ACT OF 2009
California Desert and Mountain Heritage Act
The legislation proposes to designate over 190,000 acres of Wilderness including
spectacular desert landscapes in Joshua Tree National Park and the rugged slopes of the
Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains. The bill would also designate 31 miles of Wild and
Scenic River, providing new recreation opportunities for southern California
residents. Background on the bill, including a description of areas and maps, is located at:
California Desert and Mountain Wilderness Campaign.
Eastern Sierra and Northern San Gabriel Wild Heritage Act – California
This legislation would permanently protect more than 470,000 acres of Wilderness from
the glacial valleys and alpine lakes of the High Sierra to the breathtaking White Mountains,
home to the world’s oldest trees, the bristlecone pine. The bill would also protect 52 miles
of Wild and Scenic Rivers, including the stunning desert oasis of the Amargosa River. A
factsheet on the legislation is located at:
http://easternsierrawild.org/.
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Wilderness Act –California
This bill would designate 90,000 acres of Wilderness within Sequoia and Kings Canyon
National Parks, and would protect the redwood Mountain Grove, which is the largest stand
of Giant Sequoia trees in the park. A copy of the legislation is located at:
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgib...3022rs.txt.pdf.
Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area and Dominguez Canyon
Wilderness Area Act – Colorado
This legislation would create a 210,000-acre National Conservation Area and 66,000-acre
wilderness in the beautiful red rock cliffs of western Colorado. The bill would preserve
ancient petroglyphs and dwellings, flower-strewn meadows, outstanding habitat for desert
bighorn sheep, and scenic streams replete with waterfalls and plunge pools. For
background, see:
http://www.ourcolorado.org/what-we-d...dominguez.html.
Rocky Mountain National Park Wilderness and Indian Peaks Wilderness Expansion
Act - Colorado
Rocky Mountain National Park provides world-class hiking and climbing, and breathtaking
views of the Rocky Mountains, while also supporting the economies of several gateway
communities. This legislation would protect nearly 250,000 acres of Wilderness within the
park, finally implementing a recommendation by the National Park Service made in the
early 1970s. For more information, see:
http://wilderness.org/files/RockyMtn...dernessAct.pdf.
Owyhee Public Lands Management Act of 2007 – Idaho
The result of years of discussion, this home-grown consensus-driven legislation would
protect over a half-million acres of Wilderness and protect nearly 315 miles of rivers in
scenic southwest Idaho. Supported by a broad range of interests, this bill would protect
some of Idaho’s most ecologically significant high desert country, along with the
spectacular Owyhee River. Background, factsheets, and other materials located at:
Mike Crapo, U.S. Senate: Owyhee Initiative.
Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument Voluntary and Equitable Grazing Conflict
Resolution Act – Oregon
This legislation would protect over 23,000 acres of ancient forests and lush wildflowerstrewn
meadows as Wilderness within the Cascade Siskiyou National Monument in
southern Oregon. The bill would protect the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail and
provide for the voluntary relinquishment of grazing permits in this ecologically valuable
wildlife sanctuary. For more information, see:
Soda Mountain Wilderness — Oregon Wild.
Copper Salmon Wilderness Act – Oregon
This legislation would protect over 13,000 acres of old growth and cedar forests in central
Oregon. The proposed Wilderness would care for the headwaters of the Elk River, which
is one of the most productive salmon fisheries on the west coast. For more information,
see:
Copper Salmon Wilderness Campaign — Oregon Wild or
Friends of Elk River - Copper Salmon Wilderness Campaign.
Lewis and Clark Mt. Hood Wilderness Act of 2007 – Oregon
This legislation would designate over 130,000 acres of wilderness and nearly 80 miles of
Oregon rivers as Wild and Scenic. The bill would protect one of Oregon’s most scenic
natural landmarks, towering Mt. Hood, along with its lush ancient forests and free
flowing rivers. Background, fact sheets, and maps are located at:
Mount Hood Wilderness Campaign — Oregon Wild.
Oregon Badlands Wilderness Act
This legislation would designate 30,000 acres of high desert Wilderness in central Oregon,
containing numerous Native American pictographs, ancient juniper pines, and stunning
lava flows. Background information, photos, maps, and more is located at:
Badlands Proposed Wilderness — Oregon Natural Desert Association.
Spring Basin Wilderness Act – Oregon
This legislation would designate 8,600 acres of Wilderness in the watershed of the Wild
and Scenic John Day River in central Oregon. With verdant wildflower displays each
spring, and excellent hiking trails, Spring Basin is a unique ecological and recreational
treasure. Background materials are located at:
http://www.onda.org/defending-desert...sed-wilderness.
Sabinoso Wilderness Act – New Mexico
This legislation would designate 16,000 acres of rugged canyon country in northern New
Mexico as Wilderness. Colorful sandstone cliffs, pinyon-juniper forests, and steep canyons
replete with groves of cottonwood and willow trees characterize this iconic southwest
landscape. For more information, see:
Sabinoso Wilderness — NMWild.
Wild Monongahela Act – West Virginia
This legislation would add over 37,000 acres of Wilderness in West Virginia’s
Monongahela National Forest. These protections would extend to some of West Virginia’s
best trout streams, lush forests of mountain ash, red spruce, and eastern hemlock, and
popular whitewater rafting runs. For background information, see:
http://www.wvwild.org/<br />
or htt...intreasure.cfm.
Virginia Ridge and Valley Act
This legislation would designate nearly 40,000 acres of Wilderness and establish new
National Scenic Areas in the Jefferson National Forest of Virginia. The bill will protect the
diverse forests of tulip, sugar maple, scarlet oak, and white ash trees, as well as freeflowing
rivers and a segment of the Appalachian Trail. More information, including
testimonials from supporters and a description of areas, is located at:
Virginia - We Love it Wild!.
Beaver Basin Wilderness- Michigan
This legislation would designate over 11,000 acres of Wilderness within the Pictured Rocks
National Lakeshore along Lake Superior. Pictured Rocks features sandstone cliffs, lovely
beaches, waterfalls, and sand dunes all with the spectacular backdrop of Lake Superior.
Information on Pictured Rocks is available at:
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore (U.S. National Park Service). A copy of the
legislation can be found at:
THOMAS (Library of Congress).
National Landscape Conservation System Act
This simple legislation would codify the National Landscape Conservation System,
comprised of 26 million acres of the crown jewels administered by the Bureau of Land
Management. The Conservation System is focused on preserving intact Western
landscapes with historical antiquities in their original settings. For background
information, see:
The Conservation System Alliance.
Wyoming Range Legacy Act
This legislation would withdraw from oil and gas leasing over 1.2 million acres of
breathtaking, wild landscapes in the Wyoming Range of western Wyoming’s Bridger-
Teton National Forest. The iconic Wyoming Range features world-class hunting,
strongholds for cutthroat trout, and half of Wyoming’s moose populations, all of which
would be threatened by extensive oil and gas drilling. For more information, see:
Citizens Protecting the Wyoming Range: Issues: The Wyoming Range Legacy Act: A solution for Wyoming.
Washington County Growth and Conservation Act – Utah
This legislation would designate over 235,000 acres of wilderness in and around Zion
National Park in southern Utah. The legislation would also establish two new national
conservation areas and would create several new wild and scenic rivers. Utah’s scenic
red rock country is a land of stark beauty renowned worldwide. This bill would preserve
important elements of this iconic landscape. The 2008 version of the legislation can be
found through:
THOMAS (Library of Congress).
Izembek and Alaska Peninsula Refuge and Wilderness Enhancement Act
This legislation would allow for an unnecessary and ecologically harmful road to be built
through fragile, internationally important wetlands Wilderness habitat in the Izembek
National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge is of critical importance to hundreds of thousands
of the world’s migratory birds. This provision has no place in a lands bill focused on
protecting America’s natural resources. For more information, see:
http://wilderness.org/files/izembek_road_quantity.pdf.
Of specific concern to socal folks are the
areas around Joshua Tree and Zion.
