Senators Reintroduce Bills to Protect Public Land
in Rockingham, Augusta, Highland, and Bath Counties
Yesterday, Senators Time Kaine and Mark Warner reintroduced the Shenandoah Mountain Act and the Virginia Wilderness Additions Act.
See their Press Release here.
Shenandoah Mountain Act of 2025
The Shenandoah Mountain Act would establish a 92,562-acre Shenandoah Mountain National Scenic Area (SMNSA) in Rockingham, Augusta, and Highland counties, and encompass four wilderness areas. This legislation would preserve the majestic forests, spectacular vistas, and more than 150 miles of trails on the western edge of the Shenandoah Valley. The SMNSA designation would allow forest visitors, such as hikers, hunters, bicyclists, fishermen, and equestrians, to continue to enjoy this beautiful area, just as they do today, while prohibiting commercial logging and industrial development, like gas drillng and pipeline construction.
This Shenandoah Mountain proposal has been endorsed by over 400 local businesses, organizations, and faith groups who recognize its many benefits. Local governments for Rockingham and Augusta Counties, as well as Staunton and Harrisonburg, have passed resolutions of support for the proposal.
ABRA works closely with Friends of Shenandoah Mountain, supporting research and regulatory engagement on many forest and conservation issues within the proposed National Scenic Area. We are grateful to Senators Kaine and Warner for advancing this proposal and look forward to its enactment.
To learn more, please visit Friends of Shenandoah Mountain.
Virginia Wilderness Additions Act
The Virginia Wilderness Additions Act would add 5,600 acres to the existing Rough Mountain and Rich Hole wilderness areas within the George Washington National Forest in Bath County.
“Expanding the Rough Mountain and Rich Hole Wilderness Areas honors decades of work by dozens of stakeholders, and results in a number of ecological, economic, and recreational benefits. The Virginia Wilderness Committee is grateful to Senators Kaine and Warner for this reintroduction,” said Ellen Stuart-Haentjens, Executive Director of the Virginia Wilderness Committee.
To learn more, please visit Virginia Wilderness Committee.