With the start of the Second Session of the 110th Congress, wilderness proposals are likely to be at the forefront of Congressional activity in 2008.
We expect the Senate to act expeditiously on the National Forests, Parks, Public Land and Reclamation Project Authorization Act (S. 2483). The proposal is tentatively scheduled to be the third piece of legislation to be considered on the Senate Floor in 2008 – as early as the first or second week in February. This omnibus public lands bill includes the Wild Sky Wilderness Act (H.R. 886/S. 520), which passed the House in April 2007. Wild Sky will permanently protect 106,577 acres of national forest land, and was sponsored in the House by Representatives Larsen and Inslee (WA) and in the Senate by Senators Murray and Cantwell (WA).
S. 2483 also contains numerous meritorious provisions previously passed by the House that would safeguard National Parks and historic and cultural sites, including the protection of Virginia's Civil War battlefields and the Eightmile Wild and Scenic River in Connecticut.
The Campaign for America's Wilderness – in conjunction with other local and national conservation organizations-will actively work to ensure passage of this measure and oppose all weakening amendments. The bill will be brought up for consideration under a unanimous consent agreement that limits possible amendments to a maximum of five to be offered by Senator Coburn (OK). Senator Coburn had prevented consideration of these and other bills by the Senate during the first Session of the 110th Congress due to fiscal concerns.
Also pending in the Senate is another comprehensive lands bill similar to S. 2483. The Natural Resource Projects and Programs Authorization Act (S. 2180), incorporates a number of public lands bills approved by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Included in this package is the Lewis and Clark Mount Hood Wilderness Act (S. 647), which was introduced by Senators Wyden and Gordon Smith (OR), and will permanently protect 128,600 acres of national forest on Mount Hood. We expect this package to move later this year.
In addition, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee has tentatively scheduled a markup for January 30th on approximately 30 bills, which may include the Copper Salmon Wilderness Act. Introduced by Senator Wyden (OR) in the Senate and Representative DeFazio (OR) in the House, S. 2034/H.R. 3513 will protect some 13,700 acres of pristine old-growth forest surrounding the headwaters of the Elk River in the Siskiyou National Forest. The Senate is also considering several other major wilderness proposals, which we hope will also see action this year.
In the House, we expect a number of bills to move later this spring. It is possible that the House Natural Resources Committee may choose to join some or all of these measures together in one larger bill in an effort to expedite passage. These bills could include a number of pieces of legislation we have been working on this Congress, such as H.R. 3682, the California Desert and Mountain Heritage Act; H.R. 2632, the Sabinoso Wilderness Act; and H.R. 3513, the Copper Salmon Wilderness Act, among others.
We are continuing to work closely with the House Natural Resources Committee and the sponsors of these and other wilderness bills to ensure a viable, comprehensive measure will be developed that can be reported by the Committee, passed by the House and Senate, and signed into law before the 110th Congress adjourns. If successful, these measures will result in the designation of a significant amount of new wilderness for our country.
