Public Land Management Act
On March 25, the House agreed to the Senate amendments to the Omnibus Public Land Management Act, H.R. 146. This is the most significant conservation measure to be enacted by Congress in the last 15 years. On March 30, President Obama signed this bill into law.
Watch Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV) speak in support of the bill:
This bipartisan omnibus public lands bill is a package of more than 160 bills that enjoy wide support in Congress. Many of these bills have previously passed through the House of Representatives. It includes measures introduced in the last Congress by both Democrats and Republicans in the House and Senate.
Among its many provisions, this omnibus bill permanently codifies the National Landscape Conservation System; creates two million new acres of wilderness across 9 states; establishes 3 new national park units; designates 1,000 miles of wild and scenic rivers; designates a National Monument and 3 National Conservation Areas; protects world-class hunting land in the Wyoming Range; and recognizes new Historic Sites and Heritage Areas.
The conservation designations in the bill will provide important economic benefits for rural economies across the United States. By providing jobs in recreation and tourism, increasing local property values, and providing attractive places for residents to live and work, conservation designations provide significant benefits to local economies. Nationwide, outdoor recreation contributes $730 billion to the U.S. economy, while supporting 6.5 million jobs.
This bill is an authorization bill and does not appropriate any money from the federal treasury; it fully complies with the PAYGO rule.
The Altmire amendment states, in part: “Nothing in this title shall be construed as affecting access for recreational activities otherwise allowed by law or regulation, including hunting, fishing, or trapping.” In addition, the amendment clarifies that the states retain the authority to manage resident fish and wildlife. While it takes no position on the legislation as a whole, the NRA states that it supports the inclusion of the Altmire amendment in the bill.