Edwards Campaign Press Release - Edwards Unveils Hunting And Fishing Bill Of Rights With New Policies To Protect America's Wilderness

Edwards will stand strong to preserve America's natural resources and stand up to the corporate interests who are polluting our waters and destroying our wilderness

Chapel Hill, North Carolina – Today, during a tour of western Iowa, John Edwards unveiled his Hunting and Fishing Bill of Rights and Responsibilities to ensure that future generations will be able to enjoy America's incredible natural resources. Edwards' plan calls for increasing access to public lands, protecting gun rights, improving conservation efforts and ensuring clean waters for safe, healthy fishing.

"Growing up in small, rural towns, I learned early that America has been blessed with a wealth of natural resources," said Edwards. "Just as it is our right to enjoy America's forests, mountains, fields and streams, it is also our responsibility to protect them for generations to come. But the Bush Administration has waged war on the environment, putting corporate interests ahead of our natural heritage at every turn. It's time to stand strong and reverse this destruction by standing up to the corporate interests who are polluting our waters and destroying our wilderness."

Edwards' Hunting and Fishing Bill of Rights and Responsibilities includes the following proposals:

Improve Access to Public and Recreational Lands. Because too often Americans are unable to enjoy America's natural places and wildlife, Edwards will support "Open Fields" programs that encourage private landowners to let people hunt and fish on their land. He also supports setting up regional Public Access Councils to give local sportspeople a voice in land management and, instead of opening up backcountry for logging and drilling the way President Bush has done, Edwards will work to preserve our roadless backcountry.

Protect the Tradition of Responsible Gun Ownership. Edwards hunted when he was young and grew up in rural areas where owning a gun was part of a way of life. He believes that we can do two things at once: protect gun rights and promote gun safety.

Preserve Access to Clean, Healthy Water for Fishing. Edwards will restore the Clean Water Act's authority over all our nation's waters and fight mercury pollution in our fish by requiring power plants to reduce their emissions.

Secure our Natural Heritage for Future Generations. Edwards will get the Bureau of Land Management back in the business of protecting our public land instead of working for the oil and gas industry. He will re-invest in the National Park system and work to protect our habitats from invasive species that are skyrocketing in part because of foreign imports that the current administration isn't willing to regulate.

Expect Citizens to Share Responsibility for Stewardship. Edwards will create new ways for regular Americans to take responsibility for conserving America's natural treasures. He will help private landowners protect their land through the Conservation Reserve Program and will create an Outdoor Career Corps to train young people for jobs in conservation. Finally, when national parks need to cull their game species because of over-population, Edwards supports saving taxpayers millions by having local hunters, instead of paid sharpshooters, do the job.

Further details are included in Edwards' Hunting and Fishing Bill of Rights and Responsibilities.