FYI, from the "Friends of the Inyo" email distribution 5/28/08:
"Like songbirds feeding their spring hatchlings, the Friends of the Inyo team has been very busy this May. Our summer stewardship crew arrived and immediately completed our fence to protect Cottonwood Creek's riparian habitat. Citizen Water Watchers have started taking samples of high country creeks swollen by spring runoff. And to kick off Memorial Day weekend and the unofficial start of summer, local activists came together to celebrate some great news.
On Friday, May 23, Representative Buck McKeon, the Congressman for the Eastern Sierra, held a press conference in Bishop to announce the introduction of the Eastern Sierra and Northern San Gabriel Wild Heritage Act. When signed into law, this legislation - introduced by McKeon in the House, and by Senator Barbara Boxer in the Senate - will protect 470,000 acres of California Wilderness and 52 miles of Wild and Scenic Rivers. Some of our members' favorite places, like Glass Creek Meadow, Cottonwood Basin and Granite Mountain, would be preserved forever in their pristine state.
The bill will need your help to progress through Congress during this session. Read on to learn what you can do. There is also news about a great Wildflower Walk this Saturday in the Owens Valley, and a way you can support our work with school and youth clubs by donating your old digital camera.
We hope you are planning to Get Wild on the Eastside this summer - Darren
Wild Heritage for the Eastside
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The Eastern Sierra and Northern San Gabriels Wild Heritage Act that Rep. McKeon and Senator Boxer introduced on May 22nd grew from the efforts of a coalition of organizations throughout McKeon's district, the hard work of many Eastside citizens, and the leadership demonstrated by the Congressman and Senator . At the press conference on Friday, the efforts of these legislators was praised by a diverse group of leaders from Mono and Inyo Counties.
We need your help to demonstrate support for Wilderness in the Eastern Sierra and keep this legislation moving through Congress. Please take a minute today to call the Senator and the Representative - thank them for the effort they and their staff have put into this bill, and let them know that you hope it will pass during this session of Congress.
Representative Buck McKeon - 202-225-1956
Senator Barbara Boxer - 202-224-3553
We need citizens who care about the future of public lands in the Eastern Sierra to get involved in the effort to pass this bill. If you would like more information about the Wild Heritage bill and about what you can do to help, please email Darren or call 760-873-6500. We especially need to hear from those of you who live in Rep. McKeon's district.
More information on Eastern Sierra Wilderness proposals."
