WASHINGTON (AP) – The House passed legislation on Friday that would create about 1.5 million acres of new wilderness and incorporate nearly 1,200 miles of canals into the National Wild and Scenic River System as Democrats moved to protect more public land – with the blessing of President Joe Biden.
The project was approved by a vote of 227-200. The bill was approved mainly according to party lines, with eight Republicans joining all but one Democratic legislator in voting on the bill.
Biden has set a goal to conserve at least 30% of U.S. land and oceans by 2030, a move that advocates say will help stem global warming by preserving some of the most beautiful land in the country for future generations of Americans. But, like other parts of Biden’s agenda, the bill faces an uncertain future in the 50-50 Senate, where support from at least 10 Republicans would be needed to overcome an obstruction.
Republicans said wilderness designations would restrict the use of these lands and make them more susceptible to catastrophic forest fires. Lands designated as wild receive the highest level of protection from the government and are generally prohibited for motor vehicles, with permitted activities geared towards recreation, such as hiking, camping and horseback riding.
The legislation is largely a collection of bills that the House passed last year on two occasions but did not make into a law. It is one of the largest land protection packages ever considered and covers nearly 3 million acres of public land, predominantly in Colorado, California, Washington and Arizona.
“Not only will it help protect the air we breathe and the water we drink, but also the wildlife that calls these untouched areas home,” said Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Colo., The project’s primary sponsor.
One provision of the bill would permanently remove more than 1 million acres of federal land north and south of the Grand Canyon National Park from eligibility for any future mining claims, but leave existing and valid claims intact. Supporters of the withdrawal say uranium deposits in northern Arizona should not be mined for fear of contaminating the Grand Canyon.
Republican lawmakers portrayed the bill as a killer of jobs in rural communities, because the new restrictions on the jungle would mean a ban on logging, mining and motor vehicles. They said that giving up access to essential minerals makes the United States more dependent on other countries, such as China, to meet its economic and defense needs.
“I would challenge my colleagues to enjoy these scenes and views. I encourage them to take pictures, so that they can show their children and grandchildren what they were like before locking them up in the wild, ”said Representative Bruce Westerman, R-Ark.
The ideological divide over the project was evident as the Colorado Congressional delegation debated the measure in the House floor. The legislation encompassed bills from Congressman Joe Neguse and DeGette that would affect more than 1 million acres of public land in the state.
“At the end of the day, we have an obligation to leave our environment better than we found it. That’s what this project is about, ”said Neguse.
But Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colorado, said the bill “targets” her district and has been contested by the Colorado Farm Bureau and several local officials “because of the damage they know it will cause and the activities it will avoid”.
Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-Colorado, said he knew the supporters’ intention was to protect the land, but in practice the designation of the jungle is very restrictive, preventing people from even using bicycles or strollers.
“I prefer public land with many uses,” he said.
He also expressed concerns that greater restrictions on land use would disrupt forest management practices that can reduce fire risks, although advocates for the project say the Secretary of Agriculture has authority in wild areas to take the necessary steps to control fires, insects and diseases.
“We are going to see bigger and hotter fires in Colorado than ever before,” predicted Lamborn.
The only dissident among Democrats was Congressman Vicente Gonzalez of Texas.