More Wilderness—Yaaay!

Senate designates over 2 million acres in nine states as new wilderness

Congress might not have made much headway on fixing the economy yet, but if you're dead broke and jobless, at least you'll have plenty of new wildlands to spend all your free time in. In a special Sunday session, the Senate voted to protect over 2 million acres in nine states as new wilderness.

The omnibus bill, which collects 160 others into one neat package, passed handily on a 66-12 vote. Assuming the House follows suit, new sections of California's Sierra Nevada, Oregon's Mount Hood, Rocky Mountain National Park, Virginia's Jefferson National Forest, Idaho's Owyhee canyons, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Michigan, and Utah's Zion National Park will attain the highest protection land can get from the U.S. government.

While some opposing Republicans complained the bills prevented drilling for oil and natural gas on public lands, by and large the measure enjoyed bipartisan support.

"Today is a great day for America's public lands," said the bill's sponsor, Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M. "This big, bipartisan package of bills represents years of work by senators from many states, and both parties, in cooperation with local communities, to enhance places that make America so special."

Not a bad move, Senate—not bad at all.

If you could visit any of the new wilderness areas, where would you go? The deserts of Utah? The mountains of Colorado, California, or Oregon? Or Michigan's Pictured Rocks? Tell us in the comments section below.

—Ted Alvarez
Senate boosts wilderness protection across U.S. (AP)

PRINT THIS PAGE EMAIL THIS PAGE RSS FEED

Digg Delicious Yahoo Facebook Reddit StumbleUpon Google Newsvine Facebook Twitter

READERS COMMENTS

I live in michigan,and I can tell you undeveloped lake shore is rare considirig we have so much coastline.This bill is a good thing!Pictured rocks is just about the only true wilderness coast line in MI. As for my wife & I we are hooked on Utah's canyon country & colorado's San Juan mnts!When in michigan lake Superior is the best.
Posted: Apr 19, 2009 J.W.

Great way to bring in 09. Sounds like it's bipartisan with local input, so it should pass with minimal difficulty. I'd have to stick with UT deserts and CO mountains due to location.

As for the jobless, even the jobless need some distraction from their jobsearch and wilderness backpacking would be the ticket if I ever lost my job.
Posted: Jan 13, 2009 Hal

"Congress might not have made much headway on fixing the economy yet, but if you're dead broke and jobless, at least you'll have plenty of new wildlands to spend all your free time in."

What makes them appealing to visit tomorrow as Wilderness that the qualities those areas have today don't make it appealing to visit when it is the same area?
Posted: Jan 12, 2009 frank

Thanks to all the senators who voted for cloture! And to those who originally sponsored the wilderness proposals in the bill.
Posted: Jan 12, 2009 Geezer

The Senate did not pass this bill yet. As you see on the AP article, the Senate "advanced legislation," meaning they voted to "ignore" (invoke cloture) a senator who tried to delay proceedings (filibuster). This means that now the Senate can vote on the bill without being held up by someone who doesn't want it to go to a vote. Then the bill must proceed to the House. Then there will be significant additions to Wilderness, although elements of the bill involved relinquishing "Wilderness Study Area" designation on certain lands too. Always more to be done, but it is great to have these wilderness-quality lands designated for protection as such.
Posted: Jan 12, 2009 S

ADD A COMMENT

My Profile Join Now

Most recent threads

Trailhead Register

Tony Kornheiser at it again

Posted On: Mar 20, 2010
Submitted By: gerzy

Gear

My OES Tarp is here!

Posted On: Mar 20, 2010
Submitted By: STICK

NAME
ADDRESS
ADDRESS 2
CITY
STATE
ZIP CODE
EMAIL (req)

Backpacker Blogs

Blog Search

Daily Dirt

The Pulse

Green Scene

Categories