WASHINGTON –U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury (NM-01), a member of the House Natural Resources Committee, and Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), continued their fight to protect American wilderness by reintroducing the America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act. Read the bill here. 41 Members of Congress signed on to co-sponsor the legislation. “I am proud to reintroduce legislation protecting some of America’s most iconic landscapes, the Red Rocks Wilderness,” said Rep. Stansbury (NM-01). “Protecting these incredible landscapes will help fulfill our trust and treaty obligations to Tribes, fight climate change, and protect our precious Colorado River and its tributaries. This wilderness designation will protect one of the most beautiful places in America, while supporting local communities and economies, for generations to come.” “We must protect our nation’s remaining wild places and reaffirm our commitment to the preservation of our national heritage,” said Senator Durbin (D-IL). “With the America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act, we can protect public lands from the danger of development encroachment and preserve the natural condition of these lands for current and future generations of Americans to enjoy.” “America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act is a vision of what real conservation and wilderness protection should look like for public lands in Utah,” said Travis Hammill, DC Director for Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance. “The stakes have never been higher, as the Trump Administration looks to decimate public lands, prioritize extractive industry above all else, and eliminate the workforce of career staff who manage these lands. Senator Durbin and Representative Stansbury have been steadfast and powerful voices in the wilderness movement, and we are continually grateful for their consistent commitment to ensuring that the red rock is protected for future generations.” The Bureau of Land Management, which oversees these lands for all Americans, confirmed the vast majority of the lands covered by the bill meet the qualifications for wilderness designation, and in October 2021, the Navajo Nation unanimously passed a resolution in support of America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act, acknowledging the cultural, historical, and ecological importance of these lands. The bill is endorsed by Navajo Nation, Hopi Tribal Council and the Zuni Tribe. Designating these lands as wilderness would protect Native American cultural sites and wildlife, help mitigate the impacts of climate change, and accommodate future generations of hunters, anglers, hikers, boaters, and outdoor enthusiasts. The legislation protects more than eight million acres of land in Utah that is rich in cultural resources, includes lands considered sacred to Indigenous people, and is home to numerous rare plant and animal species. America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act would protect some of the most stunning, yet fragile lands of the American West by designating them as wilderness under the criteria set forth in the 1964 Wilderness Act. First introduced by Utah Congressman Wayne Owens in 1989, the legislation would protect more than eight million acres of Bureau of Land Management lands in Utah. These lands are rich in cultural resources and provide unique habitat for many rare plant and animal species. These landscapes are also the access point for many national parks and offer unparalleled research, educational, and recreational opportunities for scientists, educators, outdoor enthusiasts, and American families. The lands in this legislation were selected through meticulous inventories conducted by a passionate group of volunteers with the Utah Wilderness Coalition. America’s public lands are under increasing pressure, both from development encroachment and attempts to sell them to the highest bidder. The bill is also supported by the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, Sierra Club, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Wasatch Mountain Club, and more than 200 other national and regional conservation organizations belonging to the Utah Wilderness Coalition. ### |