Posted Oct 14, 2008 by The Conservation System Alliance

We are on the eve of potentially great news for wild land conservation in our nation. But it won’t happen if we don’t take one simple step to push it forward.

The Senate has before it one last chance to pass a sweeping, long-awaited package of bills that would conserve hundreds of thousands of acres of new Wilderness and other special public lands and formally recognize America’s newest conservation system.

The bi-partisan package, known as the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2008, has a good chance of passing, save for one small problem. Time.

The Senate Majority Leader, Senator Reid of Nevada has expressed that he may call the Senate back in session after the election for a lame duck session. This is potentially good news for the National Landscape Conservation System Act as it gives us another opportunity to see this legislation pass this year. If the Senate does come back into session, we need to see the House of Representatives return as well. Upon passage in the Senate the National Landscape Conservation System Act would then proceed to the House where we expect it to pass (again!).

Please contact your Senator today to ask them to work with Senate leadership to pass the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2008 that includes recognition of the National Landscape Conservation System.