Clock Is Ticking To Protect California’s Wilderness
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Sacramento, CA - A measure that would protect nearly 200,000 acres of public land in California as wilderness is now in the hands of the U.S. Senate, but the clock is ticking as the federal legislative year quickly comes to an end.
Supporters hope the California Desert and Mountain Heritage Act, introduced by Sen. Barbara Boxer, will be taken up before Congress goes on recess. The measure protects land in the San Bernardino National Forest, Joshua Tree National Park and the Pinto Mountains, as well as 31 miles of rivers and streams.
Laurel Williams, desert field organizer for the California Wilderness Coalition, says protecting these areas would ensure they'll be around for generations to come.
"As development encroaches, it's increasingly more important to protect these places for people to have somewhere to go to recreate, to hike and camp, and get away from it all."
The bill would protect the wilderness areas from development by creating stricter land-use rules. It would also prohibit all-terrain vehicles.
California has a total of 800,000 acres being considered for federal wilderness protection. In addition to the California Desert and Mountain Heritage Act, Congress is considering the Sequoia-Kings Canyon Wilderness Act and the Eastern Sierra and Northern San Gabriel Wild Heritage Act, Williams explains.
"There's a lot of potential to protect a lot of places that are really special to the people of California."
More information is available at www.calwild.org.
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