House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Nick Joe Rahall (D-WV) said over the weekend he expects the House will consider a public lands package in lame duck session should the Senate pass the bill. Chairman Rahall's statement opens the door a bit wider for a slate of fifteen wilderness bills to become law before the end of the year.
The monetary crisis that has rocked governments and financial markets around the world necessarily shifted the focus of legislators the last weeks before recess. In the Senate, a plan is already in place to return to a lame duck session after the election and take up unfinished business. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) announced in early October the Senate would reconvene the week of November 17 to consider a package of public lands bills that would include 15 wilderness bills approved by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Recent statements from House leaders indicate they are moving closer to reconvening for a lame duck session, as well.
When the Senate returns to business, it is expected to consider an amended omnibus public lands measure that will include 90 bills previously approved by the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, plus 50 public lands bills, including eight wilderness bills, favorably reported out of Committee on September 11.
The 15 wilderness bills would protect special wild places in Oregon, West Virginia, Idaho, Colorado, Virginia, Michigan, New Mexico and California, to benefit local economies, enhance the quality of life for people living in nearby communities, safeguard clean air and watersheds, and provide for hunting, fishing, camping, canoeing, and other popular activities.
A list of the approved wilderness bills follows:
- Copper Salmon Wilderness Act (OR)
- Wild Monongahela Act (WV)
- Virginia Ridge and Valley Wilderness and National Scenic Area Act (VA)
- Owyhee Public Lands Management Act of 2008 (ID)
- Lewis and Clark Mount Hood Wilderness Act (OR)
- Rocky Mountain National Park Wilderness and Indian Peaks Wilderness Expansion Act (CO)
- Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument Voluntary and Equitable Grazing Conflict Resolution Act (OR)
- Beaver Basin Wilderness Act (MI)
- Sabinoso Wilderness Act (NM)
- Oregon Badlands Wilderness Act of 2008 (OR)
- Spring Basin Wilderness Act of 2008 (OR)
- Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area and Dominguez Canyon Wilderness Area Act (CO)
- Eastern Sierra and Northern San Gabriel Wild Heritage Act (CA)
- California Desert and Mountain Heritage Act of 2007 (CA)
- Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Wilderness Act of 2008 (CA)
