- 11/20/2009
- 11/19/2009
- 11/12/2009
President Signs Law Creating Largest Wilderness Legacy in 15 Years
March 30th, 2009
President Obama today signed into law the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, adding 2.1 million acres of publicly owned land in California, Colorado, Idaho, Michigan, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Virginia and West Virginia to the National Wilderness Preservation System.
Conservation Group Cheers New WA Wilderness Bill
March 26th, 2009
Today's introduction by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and Congressman David Reichert (R-WA) of a bill to protect more than 22,000 acres of wilderness adjacent to the Alpine Lakes Wilderness area in Washington State, as well as designate parts of the Middle Fork Snoqualmie and Pratt rivers as "wild and scenic" was praised by Jon Owen, Deputy Campaigns Director of the Campaign for America's Wilderness.
"Senator Murray and Congressman Reichert are continuing the proud Washington State tradition of finding common ground and then protecting it," said Owen.
Congress Approves Important Public Lands Bill
March 25th, 2009Conservationists Cheer Protection of 2 Million + Acres of Wilderness
The House of Representatives, by a vote of 285 to 140, today passed the Omnibus Public Land Management Act. Containing 16 wilderness bills, which protect more than two million acres of treasured landscapes across nine states (view map), the Omnibus Public Land Management Act is the largest public land protection measure passed by Congress in more than fifteen years. It moves now to the president’s desk for his signature into law.
Senate Passes Major Public Lands Bill
March 19th, 2009Statement of Mike Matz, executive director of Campaign for America’s Wilderness
Washington, DC - The U.S. Senate today passed the Omnibus Lands bill, which contains 16 wilderness bills protecting more than two million acres of public land across nine states, by a vote of 77 to 20. The approval of the Senate sends the package over to the House of Representatives for what should be a final vote before the measure heads to the White House for President Obama's signature.
Senate moves forward on wilderness bill
March 17th, 2009Associated Press
March 16th, 2009
The Senate is again moving forward on a stalled bill to set aside more than 2 million acres in nine states as protected wilderness.
Senators endorsed the bill Monday on a test vote, setting up a vote on final approval later this week. The 73-21 vote was 13 more than the 60 votes needed to go forward with the bill.
The Senate approved the measure in January, but it was defeated last week in the House amid a partisan dispute over a plan to allow concealed, loaded guns in national parks.
Senate to try again with omnibus today
March 16th, 2009Environment and Energy Daily (DC)
March 16th, 2009
The Senate today will vote to again advance a public lands package it first passed in January, in a complicated procedural move designed to dampen Republicans' ability to block the bill in the House.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) filed cloture last week to move forward with S. 22, a "wildly popular" package of more than 160 lands, water and resources bills. If cloture is invoked today, as expected, the Senate could pass the bill later this week.
Reid's move is part of delicate negotiations with the House to get the bill approved.
Majority Leader Reid Promises to Bring Up Lands Bill Monday
March 12th, 2009Excerpted from the March 12 Congressional Record:
Mr. REID. ... I expect to file cloture on a matter to move the lands bill forward again, for the information of all Senators. A widely popular bill we sent to the House was put on the consent calendar yesterday and failed by two votes. So we will have to start that process over here again. One of the things they are talking about doing is adding another Idaho wilderness provision to that bill and to send it back over here. But I would hope perhaps we can work something out with people who want us to have to go through all the procedural processes. I hope we do not have to do that. If we do, that is what we will do. We will have a vote Monday morning on cloture unless we can get something worked out with those who are opposing this.
Then, next week, that being the case, we will spend some time on the lands bill.
Omnibus Public Land Package Falls Shy of Passage
March 11th, 2009Statement of Mike Matz
We applaud the House leadership and our Republican champions for trying to move the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 as expeditiously as possible, and thank them for their diligence in rallying members to approve this bipartisan measure which has the support of Americans from all walks of life, as evidenced by the 282 to 144 vote in favor of the measure. However, the Omnibus public lands package fell two votes short of the requisite two-thirds threshold, so although a majority of members of Congress do support this important piece of legislation, it appears as though it will need to move through Congress under a different process.
We will work closely with key leaders in the House of Representatives to move ahead, and greatly appreciate their herculean efforts to this point to act on the will of the people to protect their special places.
Mike Matz on radio to talk about CO wilderness
March 6th, 2009
Campaign Executive Director Mike Matz notes benefits to protecting wild Colorado treasures in the omnibus public lands bill in an interview with Eric Mack of Colorado Public News Service.
Listen using the player below, or read a transcript of the interview.
