Alan Lowenthal: “I strongly support the passage of this bipartisan public lands package. This broad, sweeping legislation is important…”

“I strongly support the passage of this bipartisan public lands package. This broad, sweeping legislation is important because it includes provisions that will permanently reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund, but it will also designate over 1 million acres of wilderness on Federal lands in States across the West, including over 300,000 acres in California alone. The bill also includes the Wildlife Innovation and Longevity Driver Act, or the WILD Act, a bill I am proud to colead in the House with my Alaska colleague, Representative Don Young. The WILD Act reauthorizes the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program, as well as the Multinational Species Conservation Funds, which will include dedicated funds for rhinos, for tigers, for great apes, for marine turtles, as well as for African and Asian elephants. The WILD Act will also expand the Marine Turtle Conservation Fund to include tortoises and freshwater turtles, establishing a new source of funding for these priority species. As we all know, over 60 percent of these 330 modern species are now either threatened, are endangered, or, unfortunately, are now extinct. The WILD Act will also protect ecosystems and wildlife from invasive species through the development of strategic plans for reducing invasive species populations on land or water managed by Federal agencies.…”