Attacks on our public lands are nothing new to us. In fact, in the face of budget cuts and proposed closures, this month we successfully passed a bill to help provide options to keep our state parks open.
But, unfortunately, the assaults to our recreational lands and critical habitat don’t stop there. Right now there is a federal bill that would open up roadless and wilderness study areas around the nation to use by big industry. That means these areas may soon be destroyed by mining, logging, and drilling. Areas in California include parts of the following:
· Iconic stretches of the Sierra Nevada including the Eldorado National Forest
· Delicate desert habitat like Soda Mountains Wilderness Study Area
· The Shasta-Trinity National Forest and other northern California alpine regions
All in all, 4,412,724 acres (over 6,894 square-miles) of wilderness or roadless lands in California alone would lose protection.
Carried by California Rep. Kevin McCarthy, the Wilderness and Roadless Area Release Act (H.R. 1581) would kill years of bipartisan efforts to protect swaths of land from intrusive industry. The wilderness sutdy areas under threat would lose their ability to gain status as “wilderness” — the strongest protection that an area can receive from the federal government. Such designation helps keep lands safe and pristine as valuable wildlife habitat, healthy watersheds, and recreational areas.
The wilderness and roadless areas that H.R. 1581 would open to development, and ultimately destruction, fall within national forests and on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands. Ironically, industry-funded politicians like McCarthy claim that “This Common-Sense Legislation Opens These Lands Up For Public Use And Enjoyment.”
Hmmm….you know I’ve always wanted to go off on a weekend of fun and adventure by riding a Caterpillar through my local wilderness area. I guess we would need something like H.R. 1581 to bring that vision to fruition.
But really, much of our national forests and BLM land are already open for recreation, and industry, too. The remaining wilderness and roadless areas are for the most part land on which people can already enjoy fishing, camping, hunting, hiking, horseback riding, etc. These industry puppets in Washington supporting in H.R. 1581 aren’t really looking for more recreational opportunities for their constituents – they just want more public lands to raid in the interest of their financial backers.
Here’s your chance to use your voice to speak out in support of our last wild areas – please contact your Congressperson today and ask that (s)he OPPOSE H.R. 1581!
