WASHINGTON, D.C. (December 6, 2007) -- “The Wilderness Society commends Senators Warner, Lieberman and Boxer and other members of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee for their leadership and for their vote to send the Climate Security Act of 2007 (S. 2191) to the Senate floor. We are very pleased to see this landmark bipartisan legislation move forward. We are grateful to those congressional leaders who have championed this vital legislation to cap greenhouse gas emissions.

“In addition, we particularly appreciate the promise this legislation holds for helping some of our most environmentally sensitive, much-loved public lands adapt to climate change. Climate change poses an unprecedented threat to the ecological integrity of our nation’s national parks, forests, wilderness areas and wildlife refuges and to the plants, animals and people who rely on them. By providing funds to help wild lands adapt to this threat, S. 2191 recognizes the critical importance of protecting America’s public lands in a warming world.

“We are pleased to see the momentum that the Warner-Lieberman legislation has brought to congressional efforts to reduce emissions of the pollutants that cause global warming. As the bill moves through the Senate, we look forward to working with these congressional leaders toward enactment of legislation to address the planetary emergency presented by climate change, and to fund actions necessary to protect our nation’s most precious wild lands.”

Founded in 1935, The Wilderness Society is a nonprofit advocacy organization that works to protect America’s wilderness and wildlife. With the help of more than 310,000 members and supporters, The Wilderness Society seeks to ensure that future generations will enjoy the clean air and water, wildlife, natural beauty, opportunities for recreation and spiritual renewal provided by protected forests, rivers, deserts, and mountains.