DeFazio Celebrates 50th Anniversary of Wilderness Act

The Albany Tribune
September 4, 2014

Ranking Member of the House Natural Resources Committee Peter DeFazio (D-OR) celebrated Wednesday the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act, landmark legislation that has protected and preserved nearly 110 million acres of irreplaceable wilderness.

DeFazio also called for Congress to act on dozens of stalled wilderness designation bills. Under Republican leadership, the 112th Congress was the first Congress since 1966 that failed to pass a single wilderness bill. Only one has passed in the 113th Congress.

“For fifty years, Republicans and Democrats have come together to protect some of our most iconic and treasured lands under the Wilderness Act. Because of this landmark, bipartisan law, nearly 110 million acres of irreplaceable wilderness areas have been preserved for our kids and our grandkids. Unfortunately, like so many previously bipartisan issues, wilderness bills have fallen victim to the partisan morass plaguing this Congress. With only twenty-seven legislative days left in the 113th Congress, I urge my colleagues to allow us to vote on the dozens of languishing wilderness bills, and grant protections for these incredible lands,” said DeFazio.

The Wilderness Act of 1964 was signed into law on September 3, 1964 by President Lyndon B. Johnson, and created the National Wilderness Preservation System, and gave Congress the authority to designate wilderness areas.

Currently, there are 759 wilderness areas, totaling nearly 110 million acres, in 44 states. In Oregon, some of our most iconic spaces have been protected as wilderness areas, including Eagle Cap, Three Sisters, Mount Hood, the Steens Mountains, Wild Rogue, and Copper Salmon.

Oregon hass 47 wilderness designations, protecting over 2.5 million acres.