[rally_toad]

Last week the House of representatives failed to pass S. 22 the Omnibus public lands management act of 2009. 2/3 majority was required and the measure failed by 2 votes, the bill was supported by over 200 Democrats and 30 Republicans in the house. Jeff Bingaman D-NM reintroduced the bill, which would protect 2 million acres of wilderness, including new wilderness in Joshua Tree, Zion(and enlargement of the park), and Washington County Utah, as well as Wild and Scenic river designation for Fossil Creek here in AZ.
This time the bill will only need a majority vote to pass the house and it is expected to pass easily. It easily passed in the senate thursday with bipartisan support by a 77-20 margin.

[azbackpackr]

Some encouraging news amidst all the gloom and doom from Washington!

[azdesertfather]

yes!!

[rally_toad]

Today, the house passed the bill 285-140. The bill will now go to President Obama's desk where he will shortly sign it into law.
Arizona will soon have a 2nd wild and scenic River.
Im excited about this, alot of the land that will be protected I am familiar with, like the new wilderness in J-Tree, and obviously Fossil Creek, and Zion and the land in Riverside county CA.