Letter: Wilderness bill efforts lauded

Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2002 | 9:10 a.m.

A recent poll suggested that 66 percent of Nevadans support protecting wilderness. Monday that support became reality. We have new wilderness protection in Nevada.

Sens. Harry Reid and John Ensign and Reps. Jim Gibbons and Shelley Berkley deserve a big applause. They put party politics aside and worked together with business, conservationists and other Nevada citizens to pass legislation that will ensure that our state's special wild places will remain just the way they are for our children and grandchildren to enjoy. As more and more people move into the Las Vegas region, these areas of beauty and solitude grow even more important.

Nevada residents will now have new wilderness areas and a new Sloan Canyon National Conservation area. The beautiful Spring Mountains, McCulloughs and Wee Thump Joshua Tree Forest -- home to some of the world's oldest and tallest Joshua trees -- are now protected from development and damage.

When so much of what goes on in Washington seems to be bickering and political rhetoric, it is heartening to see our delegation work together to get something important done for all Nevadans.

BEN PROCHAZKAM Editor's note: The writer is Western states field organizer for the U.S. Public Interest Research Group.