Colorado Land Protected under new Bill

By Idelle, March 30, 2009

President Obama signed legislation on Monday setting aside more than 2 million acres as protected wilderness. This new law adds the largest amount of acreage to the preservation system since 1994. Colorado land protected under the wilderness bill includes protection of nearly 250,000 acres of Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park and 66,000 acres of red rock sandstone canyons, cliffs, streams and waterfalls in western Colorado. Land has also been protected in California, Idaho, Michigan, Utah, Alaska and other states across the nation. Additionally, more than 1,000 miles of rivers in nearly a dozen states were designated as wild and scenic. The law expands wilderness designation into new areas, which blocks nearly all development.

Environmental groups and lawmakers are hopeful that the law will strengthen the national park system, restore national forests, preserve wild and scenic rivers, and restore balance to the management of public lands. The opponents, mostly Republicans, feel that the legislation is a “land grab” that blocks energy development on vast swaths of federal land.