Taken from Oregon Wild (note that the bill applies to the entire U.S.):
Thanks for lending you voice to the effort to push back against a cynical political ploy in the U.S. House of Representatives that would see 50 years of conservation undone.
The Wilderness Act has protected special places in Oregon and across the country from motorized vehicles for decades and the “Sportsmen’s Heritage Act” would undo it all. The deceitful bill is framed as increasing access for fishing and hunting when, in fact, it would destroy the very habitat that fish and wildlife need to thrive.
A new bill passed by the U.S. House last week would undo the protections of the Wilderness Act and allow off-road vehicles to motor through previously protected lands. The bill is being touted as a pro-fishing and pro-hunting proposal, but we can see through that veneer.
Ever hiked in the quiet grandeur of Oregon’s Three Sisters Wilderness? Been amazed by the fragile beauty of the wildflowers in the Kalmiopsis? Felt overwhelmed by the grandeur of the old-growth forests towering above Opal Creek?
These treasured Oregon experiences are protected thanks to the 1964 Wilderness Act, and thanks to years of hard work by Oregon Wild supporters to win permanent protection for special places all across our state and the country. Sadly, on April 17 the U.S. House of Representatives voted to put our Wilderness heritage at risk – and they did it through deceitful legislation that was advertised as promoting hunting and fishing.
Write to your U.S. Senators today and urge them to reject HR 4089, a bill that would open up pristine Wilderness areas in Oregon to motor vehicle abuse.
Regardless of whether you hunt or fish, wildlife science has shown us that the best places for wildlife to thrive (and therefore, the best places to cast a line and track game) are unroaded landscapes free from invasive species and abuse brought by off-road vehicles.
Don’t let Congress get you down! Join Oregon Wild on the trail this spring. Hikes are filling up fast. More details and sign up information here.
So, why would the U.S. House pass legislation called the “Sportsmen’s Heritage Act” when, in fact, the bill would allow off-road vehicles to roar through protected Wilderness, restrict the President’s ability to protect public lands through National Monument declarations, and potentially open up millions of acres of currently protected public lands to oil and gas drilling?
The answer lies more in politics than in good land management. The current U.S. House of Representatives is the most anti-environment legislative body in American history. Dozens of bills are currently being considered that would do everything from privatize public lands to exempt polluting industries from the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts.
Unfortunately, some of Oregon’s elected officials voted for this cynical measure. Voting to undermine the Wilderness Act were Reps. DeFazio, Schrader, and Walden.
Thankfully, Reps. Blumenauer and Bonamici cast their votes to maintain Wilderness protections for places like Mount Hood, the Eagle Cap, and Steens Mountain.
Now it us up to the U.S. Senate to stop this terrible legislation. Take action now to let your Senators know that you want Wilderness areas protected from deceitful attempts to open them up to off-road vehicles, oil and gas development, and other destructive activities.
Thanks for taking action to protect Oregon’s 2.4 million acres of Wilderness!
For the wild,
Steve Pedery
Conservation Director
Oregon Wild
PS: While some in Congress may not value Oregon’s unspoiled wildlands, we do! Join us on upcoming hikes – find out details and sign up here.
