CALIFORNIA DESERT PROTECTION ACT UPDATE

We now have three desert bills in Congress: S21 in the Senate, sponsored by Senator Cranston; HR2929 in the House, sponsored by Congressmen Levine and Lehman; and lastly the Bush bill Sponsored by Congressman Lewis (also known as BLM bill).

The first two are supported by the Sierra Club. There are some difference. between the two bills: one has three more wilderness areas than the other, another reduces the size of a few at them, one calls the Eastern Mojave a National Park, the other a National Monument. Regardless, the differences are negligible and either one is completely acceptable.
The Bush/BLM/Lewis bill is about half of the other two, and is not supported by the Club. Its introduction in the house is not expected to present the other bills any problems, except for fore explanation of the differences.

The outlook for the Cranston and Levine Bills is optimistic. It is expected that the Levine Bill will go in the House Subcommittee for a hearing on 12 September. Then it goes to for markup (changes, if any), and it is rumored that full Committee may vote on it before the end of September. The Senate hearing is not yet known, however, the House action is expected to give it a shove forward, We are optimistic that by the end of this year we will have a Desert Protection Act a law.
We still can use your help on the Senate Bill. Please write Senator Seymour urging his to continue his support sad to move the Bill forward, (Even if you have already written him, please do it again. We all need pushing.) Thank you!
Maris ValkassMaris

NOW is the time to write Senator Seymour a short letter, to urge him to support a strong bill for the California Desert. Express keen disappointment for his Energy Committee vote for Arctic development and assure him that his help to protect the California desert by a strong bill will help convince the public about his concern for our state's environment.

Write to:

Honorable John Seymour
Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
 
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