U.S. Senator Ken Salazar

Member: Finance, Agriculture, Energy, Ethics and Aging Committees

 

2300 15th Street, Suite 450 Denver, CO 80202 | 702 Hart Senate Building, Washington, D.C. 20510

 

 

For Immediate Release

April 19, 2007

CONTACT:    Cody Wertz – Comm. Director
303-455-5999


  Sens. Salazar, Bingaman Push to Protect National Landscape Conservation System

WASHINGTON, D.C. – United States Senators Ken Salazar (D-CO) and Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) introduced legislation to codify the National Landscape Conservation System which includes the collection of national monuments, national conservation areas, wilderness areas, wild and scenic rivers and other landscapes on public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).

The National Landscape Conservation System (NLCS) was established by the Department of the Interior in 2000 and consists of all areas the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) administers for conservation purposes. Because the NLCS was established administratively it does not have the permanence that it would have if enacted by law.

The Bingaman-Salazar bill would establish a law that would group all the areas into one system, which would help increase public awareness of the importance of these lands and would highlight the BLM’s conservation of these areas and their cultural, historical, scientific, and ecological significance to the nation.

“The National Landscape Conservation System has taken a back seat in our country’s land conservation efforts, getting shortchanged by the President’s budget year in and year out. Places like Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area and Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area – some of America’s most famous landscapes – deserve real protection from vandalism, neglect and other abuses,” said Senator Salazar. “This bill simply writes the National Landscape Conservation System into law – without affecting grazing rights, water rights, and public access to the national monuments, wilderness or conservation areas – to make sure National Landscape Conservation System lands are protected always.”

“This bill will highlight the importance of preserving some of our country’s most historic and culturally rich areas and will help ensure they remain a high priority within the BLM and the Department of the Interior. It is my hope this bill will be able to move quickly through the Congress and be enacted into law,” Chairman Bingaman said.

The bill does not create any new management authority and does not change the authorities for any of the previously designated areas within the system.

The bill has been referred to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Senator Bingaman is the Chairman of this Committee, and Senator Salazar is a member of this Committee.

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