***ALERT***
 
From:  Loretta [log in to unmask]     Fax: 202-293-1782
 
SENATE PASSES OMNIBUS PARKS/LANDS BILL
INCLUDES ADVISORY COUNCIL & BLM,
HERITAGE AREAS, PARKS AND MANY OTHER GOOD MEASURES
 
         At about 4:50 pm today, the Senate approved by unanimous consent H.R. 2436,
the omnibus parks and public lands bill.  The bill now goes to President
Clinton, who has said he will sign it into law.
        After much wrangling over the legislation,  Senator Frank Murkowski (R-AK),
chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, withdrew his
objections and allowed the bill to come to the Senate floor in return for
Administration agreements concerning logging on the Tongass National Forest.
(The administration had previously promised a veto of the omnibus bill if it
included certain provisions relating to the Tongass logging; those provisions
were dropped from the House-passed bill.)
        Earlier this afternoon, Senator Murkowski objected to the Administration's
letter on the matter, which was meant to help meet some of his concerns.  He
indicated that it was not sufficient. Apparently he then met with the top
staff in the White House and they were finally able to make a deal that would
satisfy his demands.
        Note that other controversial provisions from earlier bills--such as
increased motorized use of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and
corporate sponsorship of the National Park System --- were dropped by the
House before it passed the legislation on Friday.  The bill still benefits
113 parks and monuments, creates new historic trails,  expands many park
boundaries, establishes a number of heritage areas, and reauthorizes the
Bureau of Land Management and -- of special interest to those following my
earlier alerts--reauthorizes the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.
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