Wilderness areas are those lands that are so unique and prized that they are given the most protection. Every year, Congress has the choice to preserve these wild areas by passing legislation that designates them as federal wilderness.
Well, just this week the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources passed 19 wilderness and public lands protection measures. These bills are now eligible for passage out of the Senate and ultimately to become the law of the land!
The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Conservation and Recreation Act (S. 23/H.R. 163) would designate approximately 32,557 acres along the mainland shore of Lake Michigan and on nearby island coastlines as wilderness, permanently protecting it for all Americans.
The 113th Congress faces a multitude of environmental challenges. The Wilderness Society is working the halls of power to make sure that America's wild places are part of the legislative agenda, and to make sure that lawmakers and staff are hearing both sides of the issues.
