Colorado Congresswoman Diana DeGette appeared before the House Natural Resources committee to defend the Colorado Wilderness Act that will protect 740,000 acres of Colorado wilderness. It will designate 33 new areas across Colorado as federally-protected wilderness. It would be the largest land-protection package for Colorado in the past 25 years. Unlike previous land protection packages, Degette says her legislation protects more mid-elevation ecosystems that are often used for outdoor recreational activities that serve as critical habitats for a variety of plants and wildlife.