| Press Release |
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| August 17, 2006 |
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Governor offers support for Mt. Hood wilderness expansion bill
Expansion of scenic area will benefit state’s environment and economy
Salem, Or. - Governor Kulongoski today praised the work of Oregon Senators Wyden and Smith, and pledged to help reconcile the new bill with efforts in the U.S. House of Representatives.
"I appreciate this bipartisan effort to expand wilderness protection for this important part of our state’s natural heritage," the Governor said. "Preserving prime forest land will mean clean water for our state, and represents a wise long-term investment for the local Mt. Hood economy. I look forward to partnering with our Senators to make this goal a reality."
The Governor sent a letter to Senator Smith and Senator Wyden earlier today. The letter reads:
Dear Senator Wyden and Senator Smith,
I am pleased to support your most recent proposal to manage and preserve Mount Hood and its environs for generations to come. The State of Oregon has been an active participant in the numerous public summits and stakeholder meetings convened on this subject and we appreciate the dedication you and your staff have shown in finding management and conservation solutions for an area that is a State and a national icon.
On May 27 of this year I wrote a letter in support of H.R. 5025, the Mount Hood Stewardship Legacy Act. I was pleased Representatives Walden, Blumenauer, Hooley and DeFazio, a bi-partisan contingent of our Congressional delegation, were able to agree on legislation and pass it out of the U.S. House of Representatives to help set the stage for Mount Hood's long-term needs. The House bill includes important language on urban population expansion and increasing recreational use that clearly takes into account the four million plus visitors on the mountain every year. The House bill also attempts to restore and maintain healthy forests, preserve treaty rights of Native Americans who have looked to the mountain for sustenance for generations, and protect water quality for Portland and other local communities.
However, in addition to all the good the House bill would do for Mount Hood, your proposal makes some all important improvements: addition of 50,000 plus acres of wilderness, above what the House proposed, addition of over 80 miles of Wild and Scenic Rivers, and addition of a recreation area of over 17,000 acres. All totaled, your proposal adds almost 70% more wilderness, almost 50% more wild and scenic rivers and a brand new recreation area to the Mount Hood system beyond the protections currently in place.
I urge you and your colleagues in the House of Representatives to work together to reconcile these two important pieces of legislation and to pass a final Mount Hood wilderness bill this year. At the same time, I still support an addition to the final legislation of a land exchange authorizing the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department to transfer ownership of certain lands in the Columbia River Gorge to the Forest Service in exchange for U.S. Forest Service land the State is currently leasing in the Detroit Lake area. My office will be working with your offices to reconcile my interest in this land exchange.
Thank you for your efforts to create lasting legacy for Oregon and the nation. If I can be of assistance at any point in the process, please let me know.
Media Contacts:
Lonn Hoklin: 503.378.6169
Charlie Burr: 503.378.6496
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