By Peter Hardin
Media General News Service
Media General News Service
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WASHINGTON — More than 53,000 acres in the Jefferson National Forest in Virginia would be protected under legislation passed by the House on Tuesday.
Rep. Robert W. Goodlatte, R-6th, spoke against the bill sponsored by his neighbor, Rep. Rick Boucher, D-9th, but did not put up the kind of fight that would endanger the measure.
Boucher's bill would designate about 43,000 acres as wilderness or wilderness-study areas and 10,000 additional acres as national scenic areas; they are in his Southwest Virginia district.
The bill would protect the areas' pristine quality and enhance tourism, the fastest-growing industry in his district, he said.
Goodlatte objected that the bill would protect thousands more acres than was recommended in a long-term plan for the Jefferson National Forest that was accepted by the Forest Service.
Goodlatte won adoption of an amendment he negotiated with Boucher to make several boundary changes in the bill; the Democrat supported that amendment, and both lawmakers spoke kindly of each other.
In the Senate, Republican John W. Warner of Virginia and Democrat Jim Webb are pushing similar wilderness legislation. Similar legislation initially was introduced in 2004, and the Democratic takeover of Congress has improved its prospects.
"This bill carries on the important American tradition of protecting our most special natural areas for future generations," David Carr, public lands director of the Southern Environmental Law Center, said last night.
Using a procedural maneuver, Republicans successfully sought a change in the bill they said would clarify existing law on wilderness areas to permit the use of motorized vehicles in health or safety emergencies. That change came after a 236-178 vote to send the bill back to committee for inclusion of such language; the Natural Resources Committee chairman then quickly asked for a vote on a bill that had the revised language. It won passage on a voice vote.
Rep. Robert W. Goodlatte, R-6th, spoke against the bill sponsored by his neighbor, Rep. Rick Boucher, D-9th, but did not put up the kind of fight that would endanger the measure.
Boucher's bill would designate about 43,000 acres as wilderness or wilderness-study areas and 10,000 additional acres as national scenic areas; they are in his Southwest Virginia district.
The bill would protect the areas' pristine quality and enhance tourism, the fastest-growing industry in his district, he said.
Goodlatte objected that the bill would protect thousands more acres than was recommended in a long-term plan for the Jefferson National Forest that was accepted by the Forest Service.
Goodlatte won adoption of an amendment he negotiated with Boucher to make several boundary changes in the bill; the Democrat supported that amendment, and both lawmakers spoke kindly of each other.
In the Senate, Republican John W. Warner of Virginia and Democrat Jim Webb are pushing similar wilderness legislation. Similar legislation initially was introduced in 2004, and the Democratic takeover of Congress has improved its prospects.
"This bill carries on the important American tradition of protecting our most special natural areas for future generations," David Carr, public lands director of the Southern Environmental Law Center, said last night.
Using a procedural maneuver, Republicans successfully sought a change in the bill they said would clarify existing law on wilderness areas to permit the use of motorized vehicles in health or safety emergencies. That change came after a 236-178 vote to send the bill back to committee for inclusion of such language; the Natural Resources Committee chairman then quickly asked for a vote on a bill that had the revised language. It won passage on a voice vote.