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UPDATE: VIRGINIA RIDGE AND VALLEY ACT - The Virginia
Ridge and Valley Act passed the House of Representatives Tuesday,
October 23, 2007. It will protect more than 53,000 acres of
public lands with six new wilderness areas, a wilderness study
area, and two new scenic areas, and expand six existing
wilderness areas in the Jefferson National Forest. The Senate
will now take up the issue.
H.R. 1011 will permanently protect 55,000 acres of public land in
Virginia's Jefferson National Forest (43,000 acres as wilderness
or wilderness study, and nearly 12,000 acres as national scenic
area). This bill was introduced by Senators John Warner and Jim
Webb, and by Representatives Boucher, Tom Davis, Wolf, the late
Jo Ann Davis, Scott, and Moran.
You have the immediate opportunity to help the bill become law by
urging your Representative to support the bill on the House floor
and oppose any weakening amendments.
Please take action today ! http://www.house.gov/writerep/
The following are points to make when you contact your
representative:
* Each of the new wilderness or national
scenic areas has been endorsed by the U.S. Forest Service
and/or the Board of Supervisors of the county in which
the area is located.
* The areas to be designated by the bill are located in
the lead sponsor, Representative Boucher's, district with
one small wilderness addition in the district of
Congressman Rahall, who supports the bill.
* The bill has broad bi-partisan support including a
majority of the Virginia congressional delegation,
current and past governors of Virginia, Virginia Tourism
Corporation, local businesses, faith groups, Garden Club
of Virginia, and International Mountain Bicycling
Association.
* Recreational activities would be continued and
encouraged in these protected areas including hunting,
fishing, camping, swimming, picnicking, backpacking, bird
watching, horseback riding, cross country skiing, rock
climbing and many other outdoor activities. Mountain
biking would be allowed in the national scenic areas. |
Please urge Representative ______ to actively support the
Virginia Ridge and Valley Act and oppose any weakening
amendments, if proposed.
Thank you for your help to protect some of Virginia's most
spectacular wild areas for future generations. For more
information, please visit http://www.virginiawilderness.org.
SAMPLE EMAIL:
Dear Representative ________
I urge you to protect an outstanding natural legacy for
future generations by actively supporting the Virginia
Ridge and Valley Act, HR 1011, on the House floor. This
legislation is co-sponsored by a majority of the VA House
delegation and is also co-sponsored by Senators Warner
and Webb.
Protecting our state's last wild places is an issue that
is very important to me. Our national forests provide
habitat for wildlife, wonderful recreational
opportunities, and sources of clean water. The Virginia
Ridge and Valley Act would protect new wilderness and
national scenic areas on the Jefferson National Forest,
thus conserving these lands as a natural and recreation
legacy.
All of the areas proposed for designation as wilderness
or as national scenic areas in the Act are supported by
the local county boards of supervisors and/or are
recommended for protection by the U.S. Forest Service.
The areas are within Rep. Boucher's 9th district, with a
small wilderness addition in Natural Resources Committee
Chair Rahall's district. Chairman Rahall supports the
bill.
The Virginia Ridge and Valley Act has had hearings in the
House Natural Resources Committee and Agriculture
Committee. I urge you to support the bill as reported and
oppose any weakening amendments, if offered.
This legislation is important for Virginians, and for all
Americans who cherish our national forests.
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