An Expanded

Alpine Lakes Wilderness?

Congressman Dave Reichert (R WA 8th District) has set the wheels rolling this Congressional session to get more wilderness protection in the Central Cascades. His bill which purports to expand the Alpine Lakes Wilderness by 26,000 acres mostly within the Pratt River and Middle Fork Snoqualmie River Valleys is a no-nonsense no pork-spending no partisan-bickering bill. I know this bill is minuscule compared to the Trillion dollar leverage our future on a lot of ridiculous projects bill- I mean the Obama stimulus bill- but it would be nice to get this little wilderness bill passed-and keep the ball rolling for more wilderness protection. Can an Eastern Washington Wilderness Bill be on the horizon? The economy may be melting down, but lets try not take our roadless areas with it.

(photo- Middle Fork Snoqualmie River just outside of the proposed new wilderness expansion)