The start of the 111th Congress in January 2009 will be an unprecedented opportunity for the new Congress to pass the National Landscape Conservation System Act.

The end of the 110th Congress saw the Senate deadlocked on a number of issues and we were unable to get the Act signed into law as we had hoped.

The upcoming Congress has an opportunity in the early part of the session to pass the Act as part of the Omnibus Public Lands Managment Act. This is the same package of bills that the Conservation System Act was part of this last session of Congress.

The incoming Obama Administration's pick of Senator Salazar to head the Department of Interior is a good sign for the Conservation System. As a co-sponsor of the National Landscape Conservation System Act, Senator Salazar has been a strong supporter of the System. Along with Senator Bingaman, and Representatives Grijalva, Bono Mack, and Moran, we look forward to their continued leadership on behalf of America's newest conservation system-the National Landscape Conservation System.

Please contact your Senator or member of Congress today to ask them to pass the Omnibus Public Land Management Act that includes recognition of the National Landscape Conservation System.