Disapproval Of Obligations Under The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act Of 2008
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Mr. WYDEN. Madam President, the outdoors is a great passion for the people of Oregon, and it is truly a good day for Oregonians. The Omnibus Public Land Management Act contains protection for a number of our special places, our treasures; in the case of Mount Hood, an Oregon icon that is revered by our people.
I serve as chairman of the Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests. I know how important these public lands bills are. The fact is, they are of special benefit from a moral perspective. What we are doing is guaranteeing that these beautiful lands can be passed on to future generations. But they also help fuel our economic engine. The reality is, the protection for the great outdoors boosts our effort to promote recreation which is increasingly a major source of employment.
I want to take a few minutes to discuss the five pieces of wilderness legislation I was heavily involved in. Many other Oregonians were as well, countless Oregonians. I also give special thanks to Senator Gordon Smith who contributed mightily to this effort, working with me on this legislation and this package for many years.
The legislation passed includes seven key bills I sponsored. The five that add wilderness include: the Lewis and Clark Mount Hood Wilderness Act of 2007; the Copper Salmon Wilderness Act; the Cascade Siskiyou National Monument Voluntary and Equitable Grazing Conflict Resolution Act; the Oregon Badlands Wilderness Act of 2008; and the Spring Basin Wilderness Act of 2008.
The Lewis and Clark Mount Hood Wilderness Act has been the product of years and years of work to protect a cherished State treasure. More people take pictures of Mount Hood than any other landmark in our State. That is saying something, because Oregon has a lot of breathtaking nature to photograph.
Mount Hood is not just a symbol of our State. It is a monument to the deep connection our people have to their land. This bill is a triumph of environmental protection that wouldn't have been possible without an effort to build a Statewide consensus bringing together thousands of constituent community groups and elected officials who said: We are going to keep fighting for this until Mount Hood gets this added measure of protection.
Our legislation builds on the existing Mount Hood wilderness, adds more Wild and Scenic rivers, and creates a recreation area to allow diverse opportunities for recreation. We protect, under the bill, the lower elevation forests surrounding Mount Hood and our special Columbia River Gorge. The protected areas include scenic vistas, almost 127,000 acres of Wilderness and, in tribute to the great river-dependent journey of Lewis and Clark, the addition of 79 miles on 9 free-flowing stretches of river to the National Wild and Scenic River system.
I have a picture of the mountain that illustrates why we Oregonians feel so strongly about wilderness and Mount Hood. Richard L. Kohnstamm, long revered as the crusader who restored the jewel known as Timberline Lodge, is shown here skiing under Illumination Rock. My friend Dick Kohnstamm treasured the wildness of Mount Hood and had the vision of bringing national prominence to Alpine sports on the mountain. Under Dick's guidance, Timberline Lodge was the first ski area in our country to become a National Historic Landmark and to have the Nation's first year-round skiing. We are honored today to name the area in this picture the Richard L. Kohnstamm Memorial Area. It is a fitting legacy to an Oregonian who had remarkable foresight. In public meetings in our State and in letters and phone calls, we heard from over 100 community groups and local governments, from members of our congressional delegation, the Governor and the Bush administration. To say that this has been a labor of love for many would be a gross understatement.
As I have indicated, countless organizations, agencies and interested groups have met to discuss the development of this bill. I want to clarify that wilderness on Mount Hood is very important, it is also important to acknowledge that Highway 35 is an important transportation corridor, connecting Interstate 84, the communities of Hood River County and the Columbia River Gorge to the recreation areas on Mount Hood and US 26. It is part of the National Highway System and a designated freight route as well as a highway facility of statewide importance--the highest designation in Oregon's highway classification system. Highway 35 runs adjacent to the East Fork of the Hood River, which will be protected as a Wild and Scenic Rivers. The Wild and Scenic Rivers designation recognizes the outstanding scenery, recreational opportunities and fish runs of the East Fork of the Hood River. During winter storms when events require emergency repairs to the roads, the designation of the East Fork of Hood River is not intended to impair the ability of the State of Oregon to take necessary steps to operate, maintain, or preserve the state highway in accordance to all environmental laws and processes. In particular, the State of Oregon is considering a number of projects that will address problem locations such as Polallie Creek, White River, and Newton and Clark creeks where floods and debris flows have in the past resulted in temporary closure of the highway. I hope the U.S. Forest Service and Federal Highway Administration will continue working with the State of Oregon to find solutions that will address these problem locations in a manner consistent with the designation of the East Fork as a Wild and Scenic River.
It is my intention that efforts in this legislation to protect the Wild and Scenic East and Middle Forks of the Hood River will not have any significant impact on the operation of the local irrigation districts, including the normal maintenance or repair of existing infrastructure that is legally in use by the irrigation districts at this time.
I am encouraged that the long standing dispute over the Cooper Spur area will near to a close with the passage of this legislation. However, I want to be clear that our intention is that the U.S. Forest Service shall proceed in a timely manner in completing this land exchange. The land exchange should be completed within a total of 16 months. Protecting the clean drinking water in the Crystal Springs watershed is of the utmost importance.
Two other bills in this legislation will protect two unique places on the east side of the Cascades in our State. The Oregon Badlands Wilderness Act of 2008 would designate as Wilderness almost 30,000 acres of the area just east of the Bend known as the Badlands. The legislation will not only magnify the area's magnificent natural attributes, it will cement our region's well-earned reputation as a hub for a wide diversity of outdoor recreation sports. In this economy, that is a prospect that many central Oregon business leaders and citizens enthusiastically
support. In central Oregon, people can enjoy almost any kind of outdoor activity--boating and biking and skiing and horseback riding and hunting and riding off-road vehicles and a variety of sports. Environmental protection doesn't have to come at the expense of economic growth. This legislation is a textbook case of proving that theory. It preserves the unique landscapes that bring visitors to the Badlands and will add to the growing value of Bend's brand as being one of the best places in the country to enjoy outdoor recreation, live, work, and raise a family.
It also provides for two land exchanges that will benefit the new wilderness. I would like to specifically provide some background regarding the land exchange with the Central Oregon Irrigation District. The district is an exemplary steward of natural resources in Oregon. Established in 1918, COID provides irrigation water to over 9,000 families across 45,000 acres of productive land in Central Oregon's Deschutes Basin. The district's 700 miles of canals convey water to farmers, ranchers, schools, parks and others in the cities of Bend and Redmond.
The new wilderness area is adjacent to roughly 3.5 miles of canals and laterals owned and operated by the district under an 1891 Federal right of way. As I understand it, this right of way extends 50 feet from the toe of the canal levee to the north and south. This essential right of way provides the district with access to the canals and laterals for routine inspection, maintenance improvements, and emergency repairs. The language in section 1704(e)(3) protects the district's existing rights to the canal, including the rights provided under the 1891 right of way. During our development of this legislation, the boundary of the wilderness area was specifically set back to respect this historic and important right of way.
The Spring Basin Wilderness Act of 2008 would designate approximately 8,600 acres as the Spring Basin Wilderness. Overlooking the John Day Wild and Scenic River, the rolling hills of Spring Basin are famous for their burst of color during the spring wildflower bloom. It boasts canyons and diverse geology that draws more hikers, horseback riders, hunters, and other outdoor enthusiasts.
Also among the bills in this comprehensive legislation is the Copper Salmon Wilderness Act. My bill on this issue protects the headwaters of the north fork of the Elk River. It is a gem known as the Copper Salmon area. It adds 13,700 acres of new Wilderness and designates 9.3 miles of Wild and Scenic rivers. Copper Salmon is one of those places that crystallizes Oregon's reputation as an outdoor paradise. This bill gives crucial protection to the area's wildlife and to the prized salmon and steelhead that attract anglers from across the world. During the last decade, a dedicated group of local conservationists, fishermen, and community leaders have worked passionately to protect this area. It is one of the last intact watersheds on the southwest Oregon coast. It is a very special treasure. Fishermen and hunters are going to come to the Copper Salmon area for generations to come. I am thrilled it has been protected.
Finally, I am pleased to join former Senator Smith on legislation to establish a 23,000-acre Soda Mountain Wilderness in the Cascade Siskiyou National Monument Voluntary and Equitable Grazing Conflict Resolution Act. The protections here help ensure that what we call the Noah's Ark of botanical diversity remains undisturbed and healthy. There has been bipartisan leadership and dedicated work from people within the community. What folks of southern Oregon have shown is that it is possible to come up with a homegrown solution that serves the public interest.
This legislation is a prime example of ranchers and environmentalists sitting down together to work out conflicts in a consensus-oriented fashion. They didn't look to some kind of Washington approach, a one-size-fits-all approach. They said: As ranchers and conservationists, we are going to address this issue of grazing allotments in a thoughtful way. The bill enables conservation organizations to raise additional money they can use to compensate ranchers who voluntarily retire their Federal grazing leases. It also designates a significant amount of new Wilderness within the monument.
Each one of these bills came about because Oregonians said: On the issue that we care so much about, the outdoors and protecting our treasures, we
are going to come to the table from every walk of life--urban and rural, environmentalist and rancher--to say that as a State it is extraordinarily important that we protect our treasures for future generations, and we can do it in a way that will also boost our economic engine at a time when so many Oregonians are hurting and having difficulty paying the bills for the essentials.
I was very proud to have been the lead sponsor of these seven pieces of legislation. But the fact is, the real credit goes to thousands and thousands of Oregonians who pitched in from every corner of the State for years and years, working with myself, with Congressman Walden, Congressman Blumenauer, and colleagues from the other body. Of course, I recognize Senator Smith's contribution this afternoon.
Today, Oregonians have something to enjoy, and they can particularly reflect on the fact that so many future generations of our citizens will have something to be able to enjoy in the years ahead.
Madam President, with that, I yield the floor.
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