Congressman Lowenthal Introduces Bill To Protect 9.2 Million Acres Of Priceless U.S. Wilderness In Utah

Congressman Alan Lowenthal (CA-47) today introduced the America's Red Rock Wilderness Act that will protect 9.2 million acres of unique and spectacular public lands in Southern Utah, including places like Desolation and Labyrinth Canyons, the Dirty Devil River, Bitter Creek, White Canyon and the San Rafael Swell.

"These wild and precious lands are our birthright as Americans, and an essential part of who we are as a people," Lowenthal said. "My bill will safeguard these special lands, and the waters, flora, and fauna within them. It furthers the great American conservation ethic of John Muir, Theodore Roosevelt, and the many others that have helped to preserve the great wild places we now cannot imagine living without."

The wild lands of Utah are world famous for their twisting canyons, spooky hoodoos and other unique geologic and biological features, and are replete with priceless archaeological sites. While Utah has some of the most pristine unprotected wilderness areas in the nation, less of these public lands have been formally designated as wilderness in Utah than in any of its neighboring Western states.

The Congressman's bill, H.R. 2430, would finally protect these important lands for future generations, while also nurturing the modern tourism economy.

"As we advance toward a cleaner, greener economy, we must acknowledge the important role of new job creators like the $646 billion outdoor recreation economy, which employs more than 6 million people nationwide. None of that is possible without protecting our public lands," Congressman Lowenthal said.

Rep. Lowenthal was joined by 77 Cosponsors from 29 states and the District of Columbia, underscoring the national importance of protecting these lands for all Americans. The bill would ensure the lands remain in their natural state for perpetuity, and would preclude destructive industrial uses such as fossil fuel extraction. Hunting, fishing, and camping are allowed in wilderness.

"Our nation is blessed with a wealth of landscapes as diverse as the people who call it home," Congressman Lowenthal said. "It is incumbent upon each of us to ensure that our wild public lands remain wild and public from coast to coast, so that our children and grandchildren may enjoy them as we have."

The House bill was introduced in coordination with Sen. Dick Durbin (IL), who introduced companion legislation in the Senate at the same time.

The first version of America's Red Rock Wilderness Act was introduced in the House in 1989 by Utah Congressman Wayne Owens, after a group of Utahans submitted a proposed citizen's inventory crafted from intensive ground research for wilderness designation. It is supported by the Sierra Club, Natural Resources Defense Council, the Wilderness Society, and the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance in Utah.

The full list of the bill's 77 original cosponsors:

Earl Blumenauer (OR-3), Cheri Bustos (IL-17), Lois Capps (CA-24), Michael Capuano (MA-7), Tony Cardenas (CA-19), Andre Carson (IN-7), Matt Cartwright (PA-17), Kathy Castor (FL-14), Judy Chu (CA-32), David Cicilline (RI-1), Katherine Clark (MA-5), William Clay (MO-1), Emanuel Cleaver (MO-5), Steve Cohen (TN-9), Gerald Connolly (VA-11), John Conyers (MI-13), Peter DeFazio (OR-4), Diana DeGette (CO-1), Rosa DeLauro (CT-3), Suzan DelBene (WA-1), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-11), Ted Deutch (FL-21), Lloyd Doggett (TX-35), Donna Edwards (MD-4), Keith Ellison (MN-5), Anna Eshoo (CA-18), Elizabeth Esty (CT-5), Sam Farr (CA-20), Chaka Fattah (PA-2), Raul Grijalva (AZ-3), Luis Gutierrez (IL-4), James Himes (CT-4), Mike Honda (CA-17), Jared Huffman (CA-2), Steve Israel (NY-3), Hank Johnson (GA-4), William Keating (MA-9), Jim Langevin (RI-2), Barbara Lee (CA-13), Sander Levin (MI-9), Ted Lieu (CA-33), Dan Lipinski (IL-3), Dave Loebsack (IA-2), Zoe Lofgren (CA-19), Stephen Lynch (MA-8), Carolyn Maloney (NY-12), Doris Matsui (CA-6), Betty McCollum (MN-4), Jim McDermott (WA-7), Jim McGovern (MA-2), Jerry McNerney (CA-9), Grace Meng (NY-6), Gwen Moore (WI-4), Jerrold Nadler (NY-10), Grace Napolitano (CA-32), Rick Nolan (MN-8), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC) Bill Pascrell (NJ-9), Collin Peterson (MN-7), Chellie Pingree (ME-1), Mark Pocan (WI-2), Jared Polis (CO-2), David Price (NC-4), Mike Quigley (IL-5), Charles Rangel (NY-13), Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-40), Tim Ryan (OH-13), Janice Schakowsky (IL-9), Adam Schiff (CA-28), Lousie Slaughter (NY-25), Adam Smith (WA-9), Jackie Speier (CA-14), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Chris Van Hollen (MD-8), Tim Walz (MN-1), Peter Welch (VT),  John Yarmuth (KY-3)