[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 12]
[House]
[Page 16726]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               NORTHERN ROCKIES ECOSYSTEM PROTECTION ACT

                                  _____
                                 

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, November 3, 2011

  Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, today, along with my friends Raul 
Grijalva, Edward Markey and 25 other Members, I am reintroducing the 
Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act (NREPA), legislation that 
will protect one of our nation's greatest natural resources, the Wild 
Rockies. With Americans vacationing closer to home, our national parks 
have seen an increase in visitors in the last few years--a clear 
indication of America's love for our wild national treasures. We must 
do everything possible to preserve our pristine wilderness areas so 
they can be enjoyed by future generations. In addition, a healthy 
habitat helps to create jobs including those related to restoration, 
construction, engineering, recreation, tourism, and retail.
  NREPA uses sound science to protect the health of whole ecosystems, 
including the animals that graze, the native plants and forests that 
grow, and the watersheds that run through the Northern Rockies. With 
that goal in mind, this legislation will protect 23 million acres by 
designating all of the inventoried roadless areas in the Northern 
Rockies as wilderness, including wild and scenic rivers and streams. 
The bill also includes a process for States and tribal governments to 
negotiate a management plan for migratory and biological corridors. 
NREPA will safeguard only federal public lands--lands owned by all 
Americans--in Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Oregon and Washington, and does 
not affect private landowners. It also allows for historic uses such as 
hunting, fishing and firewood gathering.
  NREPA designations are based on ecological and watershed features--
not political boundaries. As we all know, rivers don't stay within one 
Congressional District, animals don't know when they've crossed a 
political boundary, and forests span millions of miles with no regard 
for state-lines. I urge my colleagues to take this essential step 
toward preserving precious wildlife habitat and whole functioning 
ecosystems in the Wild Rockies.

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