On March 25, 2004, in a speech on the Senate floor, Oregon Senator Ron Wyden announced his intention to introduce legislation to designate approximately 160,000 acres of additional wilderness in Oregon's Columbia River Gorge and in areas surrounding Mount Hood as well as designate four segments of Wild and Scenic rivers. (See below for the full text of Senator Wyden's remarks from the Congressional Record.) The areas proposed for protection were traveled by Lewis and Clark during their famous journey to the Pacific. To commemorate the bicentennial anniversary of their voyage, the measure will be called the "Lewis and Clark Mount Hood Wilderness Act of 2004."
Specifically, the proposal is to make significant additions to the Mount Hood Wilderness, the Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness, the Badger Creek Wilderness and the Salmon-Huckleberry Wilderness and to designate segments of the East Fork Hood River, the Middle Fork Hood River, the Zigzag River and Eagle Creek as part of the Wild and Scenic River System.
A coalition of Oregon's conservation organizations praised Senator Wyden's proposal, which, they noted will provide protection for the drinking watersheds of the residents of Sandy and the communities of the Hood River Valley. It will also protect scenic views, important recreational opportunities, old growth forests, and critical wildlife habitat on Mount Hood and along the Columbia Gorge.
The groups are urging their members to contact Senator Wyden to thank him for his leadership, and express why this proposal is important to them and urge the Senator that they would like him to consider protections for the Copper Salmon and Soda Mountain areas as well. The groups are also urging people to contact Senator Gordon Smith and ask him to support the efforts to protect some of Oregon's unique wild places. For more information or to take action go to: http://www.onrc.org/alerts/177.MtHood.html
According to a press statement, Senator Wyden plans to introduce a bill in the next several weeks after he consults further with civic leaders in Oregon, as well as his colleagues in Washington, D.C.
Background
The low elevation forests surrounding Oregon's Mount Hood and Columbia River Gorge provide the clean water that support the threatened steelhead, Coho, and Chinook salmon as well as habitat for elk, deer, and bald eagles. The area also provides exceptional recreational opportunities for millions of Oregonians and visitors to the state.
In a national poll conducted in 2000 by Plog Research for federal agencies and several state tourism councils, Oregon's Columbia Gorge was recognized as the #1 natural attraction along the Lewis and Clark Trail among likely visitors. Captain William Clark described Mount Hood (the highest mountain in Oregon) as "a mountain of immense height, covered with snow.''
During the nationwide commemoration of the Lewis and Clark bicentennial 25 million people are expected to visit the trail of these explorers.
For More Information
- Read Sen. Wyden's remarks on the Senate floor on the proposed legislation
- Take action and learn more at the Oregon Natural Resource Council web site.
- Read the Oregonian article on Senator Wyden's announcement
- Read the Oregonian's Sunday editorial on this topic
- Jay Ward, Oregon Natural Resources Council, 503-283-6343
- Michael Lang, Friends of the Columbia Gorge, 503-241-3762
- Paul Shively, Sierra Club, 503-243-6656
- Bob Freimark, The Wilderness Society, 206-624-6430
- Ken Rait, Campaign for America's Wilderness, 503-460-9453
