Natural Resources Bulletin - Special Update

(National Wildlife Federation)In This Issue:

House Energy and Commerce Committee releases draft of climate
legislation; Major victory for public lands conservation

1. House E&C Committee releases draft of climate legislation

Today the House Energy and Commerce Committee released a discussion
draft of comprehensive cap and trade legislation.  The draft bill also
includes a renewable electricity standard, improved energy efficiency
rules, and establishes a national climate change adaptation program.  
By introducing the bill, Reps. Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Ed Markey (D-MA)
have positioned themselves at the vanguard of the green energy movement,
drawing accolades from conservation groups and others.  "The plan
recognizes our dependency on fossil fuels is a triple-threat to our
economy, energy security and environment,” said Joe Mendelson, global
warming policy director at the National Wildlife Federation. “We
applaud Chairman Waxman and Chairman Markey for providing the leadership
to keep Congress on an ambitious timetable to achieve a clean energy
future.”  

In addition to the energy provisions, adaptation language in the bill
is another big reason for optimism - global warming is already
threatening natural resources around the globe and federal action will
speed up the crucial process of safeguarding wildlife and ecosystems.
It is not yet clear how funding will be allocated under the legislation,
but Reps. Waxman and Markey are committed to hammering out details by
Memorial Day.  Land managers and conservationists say that in order to
achieve long-term adaptation goals, dedicated funding from climate
legislation is essential.

Full text of the bill:
http://energycommerce.house.gov/Press_111/20090331/acesa_discussiondraft.pdf

For more, visit:
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/waxman-to-unveil-climate-change-bill-today-going-further-than-obama.php


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2. Congress passes major public lands omnibus bill

Another big piece of the environmental puzzle fell into place last week
as Congress passed the biggest public lands protection bill in a
generation.   The omnibus bill drew together 160 separate pieces of
legislation and protects over two million acres of wilderness, as well
as codifying the National Landscape Conservation System to protect some
of America’s “crown jewels” in the West.  As President Obama noted
when he signed the bill, “ranchers and fishermen, small-business
owners, environmentalists, conservative Republicans and liberal
Democrats, on the local, state and federal levels, all united around the
idea that there should be places that we must preserve, all doing the
hard work of seeking common ground to protect the parks and other places
that we cherish.”  

Environmentalists are calling the legislation a landmark in modern
conservation.  “Four generations of my family consider the Wyoming
Range to be their home place,” said Walt Gasson, Executive Director,
Wyoming Wildlife Federation. “Speaking for them, and for thousands of
other Wyoming families who feel the same way, I am grateful. When my
grandchildren can take their own grandchildren to hunt and fish in the
Wyoming Range, they will look back on this day as the day that made it
all possible.”

For more, visit:
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2009/03/30/obama_signs_major_land_conserv.html