hope for a National Wilderness Preservation System
and more...
https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/house-representatives-passes-sweeping-public-lands-bill?utm_source=print&utm_medium=sierra&tum_campaign=sierramag
"......the House of Representatives passed a sweeping public lands package that, if signed into law, would designate almost 1.5 million acres of public land as wilderness, add 1,200 miles of rivers to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and withdraw over 1 million acres from new mining claims. In addition, the bills expand national monuments and national recreation areas, create a new “historic landscape,” and fund the construction of new hiking trails on public lands. In total, the amount of land protected under the Protecting America’s Wilderness and Public Lands Act (PAW+) would be almost 3 million acres.
This level of land protection is especially appealing to conservation groups, who applauded the House’s approval of the legislation. “One of the reasons we like this package is because it’s a great response to climate change. Protecting more land like this bill [does] would give species and habitats the flexibility to adapt,” says Athan Manuel, the director of the Sierra Club's Lands Protection Program. “But there are a million reasons to like this package, whether you're looking at dealing with the challenges of climate change, at underserved communities who need access to parks, or at honoring our tribal partners by protecting places special to Indigenous peoples.”
The package of bills passed the House 227 to 200, mostly along party lines, with just eight Republicans voting “aye.” If passed by the Senate, the new law would also be an important step toward President Biden’s goal of protecting 30 percent of US lands and waters by 2030. The White House has released a statement in support of the legislation, which the bills’ sponsors say will protect wildlife habitat, help maintain air and water quality, store carbon, and safeguard communities against the effects of climate change.................."