January 15, 2009

Omnibus Public Lands Bill Passes U.S. Senate
Wyoming's Wildlife and Wildlands Closer
to Permanent Protections

Wyoming Range

Thanks to all that sent in comments supporting this bill!
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~ See Omnibus Bill Highlights below ~

Please Thank our Wyoming Senators for their votes of support!

Senator Barrasso's office: 866-235-9553 (toll free) or by email: http://www.barrasso.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactUs.ContactForm

Senator Enzi's office: 888-250-1879 (toll free) or by email: http://enzi.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactInformation.EmailSenatorEnzi

Next: The Bill goes to the House of Representatives for a final vote!

PLEASE CONTACT REP. CYNTHIA LUMMIS and ask her to reconsider her position and support the Omnibus Public Lands bill.

You can contact Rep. Lummis electronically at: https://forms.house.gov/lummis/contact-form.shtml Washington Office: (202) 225-2311 or toll free at (888) 879-3599
Fax # (202) 225-5629.

Lummis' State Office:
100 East B Street, Suite 4003
Casper, WY 82602
Phone: (307) 261-6595
Fax: (307) 261-6597

Omnibus Bill Highlights
The Omnibus Public Lands bill clears the way for protecting some of the nation's and Wyoming's most cherished landscapes. When signed into law, this legislation would provide for the greatest expansion of the National Wilderness Preservation System in 15 years. The omnibus package also contains the National Landscape Conservation System Act, which would make permanent the conservation of 26-million acres comprised of the Bureau of Land Management's best lands and waters.

The U.S. Senate passed the bipartisan Omnibus Public Lands Management Act of 2009 by a vote of 73-21, which would permanently protect more than 2 million acres of America's wilderness.

If it passes in the House of Representatives, this bill will protect wildlands and wildlife cherished by Wyomingites, including added protections for the Wyoming Range and designating hundreds of miles of rivers and streams in the Snake River drainage as "wild and scenic." Both of these measures were crafted by Wyoming's late Sen. Craig Thomas and picked up by his successor, Sen. John Barrasso. The bill includes the Upper Snake River Headwaters Legacy Act which assures that over 400 miles of Upper Snake River tributaries, all the way to the Idaho border, will receive permanent protection.

In all, this bill includes protection for fifteen wilderness areas in eight states and wild and scenic river designations in another five.

In addition, Lesley Wischmann of the Alliance for Historic Wyoming, noted that this bill would also authorize the study of additional routes and cutoffs to determine if any of these alternate routes/cutoffs qualify for National Historic Trails protection as part of the Oregon, California, Mormon Pioneer and Pony Express National Historic Trails. In Wyoming, a number of currently unrecognized westward emigration routes including the Bozeman, Overland, and Cherokee Trails would be better positioned for inclusion in the National Historic Trails system. Rep. Lummis has stated her intention to vote against the bill even though she frequently expressed support for preserving historic sites during her campaign. Lummis stated that she understood the importance of cultural tourism to Wyoming's economy.

Please contact Rep. Lummis and tell her how important her support for this bill is to Wyoming's wildlife, natural and cultural heritage, and its tourism economy.

NOTE: If you do not live in Wyoming, we urge you to encourage your own U.S. House Representative to support the Omnibus Public Lands Bill.

Thank You For Using Your Voice for the Wild