Legislation is advancing in Congress to remove protections for more than 60 million acres of public lands an area the size of Wyoming. More than half of America’s forests and deserts would be open to industrial development and off-road vehicle use. Please ask your Members of Congress to oppose this legislation.

The Wilderness and Roadless Area Release Act, introduced by Rep. Kevin McCarthy and Sen. John Barrasso, would take away protections that have been in place for decades. Industrial activities like mining, logging and drilling are already allowed on more than half of our national forests and other public lands. This bill proposes to open up most of the rest.

If this fight is lost, years of work by lawmakers and diverse stakeholders to craft balanced land use proposals would be moot and these lands would become ineligible for wilderness consideration. Please act today to safeguard the future of wilderness.

Over the last month, a bill that would waive the Wilderness Act in the name of border security has gained ground. The National Security and Federal Lands Protection Act (H.R. 1505) was reported to the full House for consideration, and could be passed if members of Congress don’t hear from constituents that this measure unnecessarily usurps protections in place for public lands and the environment. Please ask your Representative to oppose this threat.

This legislation would waive 36 environmental and health laws on Departments of the Interior and Agriculture lands within 100 miles of the Mexican and Canadian borders. This threatens iconic natural treasures such as Joshua Tree National Park, Olympic National Park, and Glacier National Park. The laws that would be waived include the Clean Air and Water Acts, the Endangered Species Act, and the Wilderness Act.

Securing our borders and protecting our natural resources should not be treated like an “either or” proposition. Help stop these threats by opposing this dangerous bill.

Thanks to your help, President Obama designated Fort Ord as a national monument on April 20!

“This national monument will not only protect one of the crown jewels of California’s coast, but will also honor the heroism and dedication of men and women who served our nation and fought in the major conflicts of the 20th century,” Obama said in a statement.

The 28,000-acre decommissioned base located south of San Francisco contains ecologically significant plant and animal habitat and is also a popular destination for mountain biking, hiking, and other outdoor activities.

Please send thanks to the president and his administration for acting swiftly.