The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee today approved five important wilderness bills, sending them to the Senate floor, during a markup of four dozen public lands, forests, water and historic site bills.

“This is a great day for all Americans who appreciate open space, wildlife habitat, clean air, and clear water,” said Mike Matz, executive director of the Campaign for America's Wilderness. “Special places such as Colorado’s Longs Peak, Wickahoney Creek Canyon in Idaho, Oregon’s Soda Mountain, Virginia’s Raccoon Branch, and Spice Run in West Virginia deserve wilderness protection. Each of these wild spots moved closer to enactment because local residents want these natural treasures saved. Hunters and anglers, small business owners, members of the faith community, ranchers, hikers, and campers benefit by this action today, but future generations are the real winners.”

The five bills which together will protect nearly 900,000 acres of wilderness are:

The Rocky Mountain National Park Wilderness and Indian Peaks Wilderness Expansion Act (S.1380), to protect nearly 250,000 acres (94 percent) of Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park;

The Owyhee Land Management Act of 2008 (S.2833), to protect 517,000 acres in Idaho’s Owyhee-Bruneau Canyonlands;

The Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument Voluntary and Equitable Grazing Conflict Resolution Act (S.2379), to protect 24,100 acres in Southwestern Oregon;

The Virginia Ridge and Valley Wilderness and National Scenic Area Act (S.570), to protect 43,000 acres in the state’s Jefferson National Forest as wilderness, and another 10,000 as a national scenic area;

The Wild Monongahela Act (S.2581), to protect 37,000 acres in West Virginia’s Monongahela National Forest.

“People on Main Street in cities and towns across the country sometimes feel that nothing gets accomplished in Washington, but in this realm Democrats and Republicans are finding common ground. They are quite literally moving mountains, from at threat, to part of the National Wilderness Preservation System,” said Matz. “We hope the full Senate takes these bills up soon and passes them as a gift for our children and grandchildren.”