CHARLESTON - U.S. Sens. Robert C. Byrd and Jay Rockefeller have introduced legislation that would designate additional areas for wilderness protection in the Monongahela National Forest.

The same bill was introduced in the House of Representatives and has received wide support in West Virginia as a boost to the Mountain State's thriving ecotourism industry.

The legislation would designate seven additional areas in the Monongahela Forest for wilderness protection out of the 18 roadless areas evaluated by the U.S. Forest Service. The new areas that would receive wilderness protection include Big Draft, Cheat Mountain, Roaring Plains West and Spice Run. The existing areas that would be expanded include Otter Creek, Dolly Sods and Cranberry. This legislation would give an additional 47,000 acres of wilderness protection.

"One of the most important sectors for economic development in West Virginia is environmental tourism," Byrd said. "Inclusion of these sites in and nearby federally protected wilderness areas puts them on the map for those seeking an adventure in nature. Attracting these visitors is one of the keys to future economic growth in West Virginia."

"The absolute importance of this legislation is easy to see if you've ever visited one of these sites," Rockefeller said. "Just ask anyone who has hiked through Dolly Sods when the blueberry bushes are in bloom, or someone who has rested near one of Spice Run's clear streams. These are Mountain State treasures that deserve our protection."

The 1964 Wilderness Act established the National Wilderness Preservation System, which allows Congress to designate federal lands as part of the national system. It has been more than 25 years since the last federal designation in West Virginia. While the proposed legislation would add a significant amount of land to those areas protected as wilderness, the vast majority of the Monongahela National Forest will continue to be available for the multiple uses envisioned when the National Forest System was first created. These include timber-harvesting operations, wildlife and fish management and recreation.

Since the Forest Service released its new Forest Management Plan for the Monongahela National Forest in September 2006, Byrd and Rockefeller have heard from constituents who advocated an expansion of wilderness areas in West Virginia. The senators are committed to working with the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee to ensure that this measure is passed and signed into law this year.