Update on Omnibus Public Lands Bill

The Omnibus Public Lands Bill (S22), already passed by the Senate, was scheduled for a vote in the House of Representatives today. However, a Rules Committee meeting scheduled for yesterday afternoon was canceled, and the bill is unlikely to reach the floor today.

Passage of the bill will provide Willing Seller authority for the North Country Trail, and a host of other benefits for land preservation and recreation across the nation.

Letters of support for this bill have been sent to Congress by:

• American Hiking Society, 1/14/09
• American Rivers, 1/9/09
• The Conservation System Alliance, 2/5/09
• Campaign for America's Wilderness, 2/6/09
• Earthjustice, 2/9/09
• Letter from 46 organizations supporting National Landscape Conservation System, 5/29/07
• Letter from faith organizations, 2/2/09
• National Parks Conservation Association, 2/9/09
• National Wildlife Federation, 2/6/09
• Letter from outdoor industry leaders supporting National Landscape Conservation System
• Republicans for Environmental Protection, 1/15/09
• Letter from 40+ river organizations, 2/6/09
• Sierra Club, 2/9/09
• Letter from sportsmen's organizations, 2/10/09
• The Nature Conservancy, 2/9/09
• Trout Unlimited, 2/9/09
• The Wilderness Society, 1/28/09

There will likely be a Motion to Recommit. If this motion is successful it would be very likely to kill the bill for this Congress because of the procedural hurdles it would face in the event it is sent back to the Senate. Representatives are being urged to vote no on any such motion by all the above groups.

See Willing Seller Needs Your Help Now
See Senate Passes Omnibus Public Lands Act
See Michigan Rep Wants to Remove Beaver Basin from Wilderness Plan