11.21.19

Natural Resources Committee Advances Legislation To Protect Wilderness, Fight Climate Change

Washington D.C. – Today Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) led a Committee markup to advance key Natural Resources priorities, including four bills that protect 1.3 million acres of wilderness in California and Colorado. The bills’ passage is the most recent step in the Committee’s ongoing efforts to protect public lands, promote access for all Americans and combat the climate crisis.

Following the markup, Natural Resources Democrats released the first edition of their new Climate Solutions series on Medium. The first post focuses on how conservation and protecting wilderness can help fight the climate crisis by naturally storing carbon, protecting clean water resources, and preserving intact ecosystems from destruction. Scientists around the globe have called for the protection of land in order the keep Earth habitable for future generations of human and non-human species.

Bill texts, amendments, amendments in the nature of a substitute, and vote counts can be found at the House of Representatives Committee Repository at https://bit.ly/35lIGLX. 

Markup action on the bills approved can viewed at https://bit.ly/2O6rVhX. 

The scheduled vote on Rep. Derek Kilmer’s (D-Wash.) H.R. 2642, the Wild Olympics Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, was postponed due to time constraints. The Natural Resources Committee intends to advance H.R. 2642 next month.

Bills Approved by the Committee

H.R. 1708 (Rep. Schiff), To adjust the boundary of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area to include the Rim of the Valley Corridor, and for other purposes. “Rim of the Valley Corridor Preservation Act.”

H.R. 2199 (Rep. Carbajal), To designate certain federal land in the State of California as wilderness, and for other purposes. “Central Coast Heritage Protection Act.” 

H.R. 2215 (Rep. Chu), To establish as a unit of the National Park System the San Gabriel National Recreation Area in the State of California, and for other purposes. “San Gabriel Mountains Foothills and Rivers Protection Act.”

H.R. 2250 (Rep. Huffman), To provide for restoration, economic development, recreation, and conservation on Federal lands in Northern California, and for other purposes. “Northwest California Wilderness, Recreation, and Working Forests Act.”

H.R. 2546 (Rep. DeGette), To designate certain lands in the State of Colorado as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System, and for other purposes. “Colorado Wilderness Act of 2019.” 

H.R. 2854 (Rep. Velázquez), To amend the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 to prohibit the use of neonicotinoids in a National Wildlife Refuge, and for other purposes.“Protect Our Refuges Act of 2019.”

S. 216 (Sen. Cantwell), To provide for equitable compensation to the Spokane Tribe of Indians of the Spokane Reservation for the use of tribal land for the production of hydropower by the Grand Coulee Dam, and for other purposes. “Spokane Tribe of Indians of the Spokane Reservation Equitable Compensation Act.” 

H.R. 307 (Rep. Hice), To provide for partnerships among State and local governments, regional entities, and the private sector to preserve, conserve, and enhance the visitor experience at nationally significant battlefields of the American Revolution, War of 1812, and Civil War, and for other purposes. “Preserving America's Battlefields Act.” 

H.R. 3794 (Rep. Gosar), To promote the development of renewable energy on public lands, and for other purposes. “Public Land Renewable Energy Development Act of 2019.”

Press Contact

Monica Sanchez, (202) 225-6065