MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) -Thousands of acres of national forests in Vermont and New Hampshire would be designated as wilderness by the federal government, thanks to a bill moving through Congress that has angered timber industry advocates.

The designation would more closely regulate the uses permitted on the land, which conservation advocates say will permanently protect natural areas but loggers say takes more land away from their industry.

The bill calls for adding 47,700 acres of wilderness in six different parcels to the 400,000-acre Green Mountain National Forest. In New Hampshire, the 800,000-acre White Mountain National Forest’s designated wilderness areas would grow by 34,500 acres, in two parcels.

The measure also calls for the creation of the Mount Moosalamoo National Recreation Area in Vermont, a 15,857-acre tract south and east of Middlebury where – unlike the wilderness areas – snowmobiling and some logging would be permitted.

Motorized access and commercial logging are not permitted in wilderness areas, although hunting, hiking, snowshoeing and other “low impact” activities are. The bill calls for creating two new wilderness areas – around Glastenbury Mountain in Bennington County and along several peaks and ridgelines in the Green Mountains, straddling Addison and Windsor counties – and expanding four existing areas in Vermont.

In New Hampshire, one existing wilderness area would be expanded and another new one would be created.

Separate bills had been proposed for the wilderness designations in the two separate national forests, but they were merged in the Senate and won the backing of both states’ congressional delegations.

That guaranteed Republican support from New Hampshire and Democratic and independent support from Vermont.

Sens. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and James Jeffords, I-Vt., said in a joint statement that the bill reflected public sentiment.

“Designating additional wilderness now is in keeping with the wishes of so many Vermonters,” Jeffords said.

“The many public meetings and thousands of letters, e-mails and calls from Vermonters indicate broad support for this step,” Leahy added.

But the executive director of the Vermont Forest Products Association said creating more wilderness was a slap at loggers who make their living in the woods but now will be barred from working in those areas.

“We are very disappointed,” said Ed Larson. “There’s no reason for more wilderness, no economic or ecological reason for more wilderness. … We’re just really mad. We’re asking the House not to do it.”

In New Hampshire, Sen. John Sununu, R-N.H., said the new designation represented “a consensus view of how best to protect land in the White Mountain National Forest while ensuring the forests traditional mixed use role.”

Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., said the state’s economy would benefit from the legislation. “By designating more than 34,000 acres of new wilderness, this bill will help further protect our states environment and represents a balanced approach on how we manage the White Mountain National Forest,” he said.

Environmental groups in both states praised the Senate for the bill, saying it would preserve the land for future generations to enjoy. A coalition of 14 groups in Vermont, dubbed the Vermont Wilderness Association, said it would work to make sure the bill becomes law.

“Senate passage of this measure is a huge step toward permanently protecting lands in Vermont for future generations and builds on two other wilderness bills passed in and 1975 and 1984,” the coalition said in a statement. “Wilderness designation protects land in its natural state and allows many low impact uses such as hunting, hiking, and, camping. Other benefits include watershed protection, and the maintenance of wildlife habitat.”

U.S. Rep. Bernard Sanders, I-Vt., said he would support the bill when it came up for action in the House.

“This bill takes into account the thousands of comments offered by Vermonters during the extensive planning process and honors the tradition of our state’s working landscape, as well as protecting Vermonters’ ability to enjoy our many outdoor recreational activities,” he said in a statement.

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On the Net:

Green Mountain National Forest: http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/gmfl/

White Mountain National Forest: http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/white-mountain/

AP-ES-09-20-06 1717EDT