DNR Does the Right Thing!

Back in 1989 when I first moved to Washington State, old-growth trees were being cut down faster than Congress can spend money on wars, entitlements, and subsidies. Matter-of-fact, the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) which manages over five million acres of our public lands had a hard time trying to convince me that DNR didn't stand for Department of Nothing Remaining! But common sense and a more balanced approach (not yet achieved by Congress however when it comes to spending) started becoming the order for DNR in the mid 1990s. Among the department's new enlightenment was that we didn't have to cut down every tree to fund our schools (which can probably do a little more belt-tightening-but that's another story). Yep, there were some areas, particularly groves of old-growth and exceptional wildlife lands that are more valuable to us standing for recreation, wildlife and watershed protection than by being piles of lumber. DNR continues to march to this new and improved management strategy by declaring over 10,000 acres of its Middle Fork Snoqualmie River lands as a Natural Resources Conservation Area. That announcement was delivered at the Mountain to Sounds Greenway Trust's annual dinner on December 2. Read here. What this means in the bigger picture for the Middle Fork Snoqualmie Valley, is that the move to declare adjacent US Forest Service lands as wilderness is all the more important now. For if the bill that is currently before Congress (thanks to Congressman Reichert and Senator Murray) is approved into law, a much larger contiguous piece of the Middle Fork Snoqualmie will now be protected. Good move DNR. Now, lets move Congress to get the wilderness bill passed. And hopefully our governor who has shown great indifference in her 5 years in office to adequately fund our state parks and lands (even during good times-where did all the money go, Ms Gregoire?) will see the light too and not fiscally destroy this valuable agency.

Pratt River Valley inches closer toward Wilderness

This just in from the Washington Wilderness Coalition:

IN THE NEWS: Bill Has Successful Hearing in the House and Senate
On November 5th, legislation to protect the Pratt and Middle Fork Snoqualmie River Valleys moved a step closer toward permanent protection after clearing a subcommittee hearing in the House Natural Resources Committee. The welcome news comes after a Senate subcommittee hearing last week. The Alpine Lakes Wilderness Additions and Pratt and Middle Fork Snoqualmie Rivers Protection Act (S. 721/ H.R.1769) would expand the existing Alpine Lakes Wilderness by over 22,000 acres to include important lower-elevation lands and designate two rivers of great importance to the surrounding ecosystem as Wild and Scenic. WWC has played a leadership role in a local coalition that has worked over the last two years with many local stakeholders, including local businesses, elected officials, religious leaders, and recreation and conservation organizations.

Good news indeed and one that the bill's sponsors, Senator Patty Murry and Congressman Dave Reichert can both take with them to their reelection campaigns next year-and quite possibly (Dave, are you running for the senate next fall?)in a campaign against each other. In any case, thanks for working to increase our wilderness base. My upcoming Backpacking Washington book has a chapter on Pratt and Kaleetan Lakes and the area surrounding them that is slated to be part of the new wilderness addition.

(Photo: looking down the Pratt River Valley out to the Middle Fork Snoqualmie Valley)

Who wants to take

Cathy McMorris Rodgers

for a Hike?

This in from yesterdays Seattle Times:

Murray, Reichert take a hike with reporters
MIKE SIEGEL / THE SEATTLE TIMES
Archive More land sought for Alpine Lakes Wilderness
U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, and U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert, R-8th take a hike with reporters and supporters in Three Forks Park near the Middle Fork and North Fork of the Snoqualmie River to talk up their bill Friday, granting Wild and Scenic River protection for the Pratt and Middle Fork Snoqualmie Rivers. The bill, introduced March 27, also would include wilderness protection for an additional 22,000 acres in the Alpine Lakes region.

That's great - bi-partisan support for wilderness. But how about actually getting Reichert and Murray into real wilderness and not some suburban park on the outskirts of North Bend? Be a real hiker and wilderness advocate like Peter DeFazio of Oregon. And how about taking Cathy McMorris-Rodgers for a hike along the Kettle Crest. Show her what wilderness looks like and show her what needs to be protected. C'mon Cathy, how about being a Republican in the traditional sense- like Teddy Roosevelt-Dan Evans-Richard Nixon-Judd Gregg, Silvio Conte, and Thomas Pelly?

I'll gladly take you on a hike here! Just shoot me an email. I'd love to show you why this place deserves to be wilderness. And I'd love to tell you why a good conservative believes in conservation. I'll be waiting by the computer for your response. I'll even bring along lunch for our hike-you like Tapenade and Foccacia?

(photo- Alan Bauer taking in the views from Wapaloosie Mountain in the Kettle River Range)

Washington's Next Wilderness?

The passage this week of the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act which created two million acres of new federal wilderness is certainly something to celebrate. And while Washington didn't receive any new wilderness, neighboring states Idaho and Oregon received substantial tracts. Now is the time to ride the momentum and secure some new wilderness areas for the Evergreen State. Rep Reichert has introduced a bill to expand the Alpine Lakes Wilderness by 22,000 acres. Senator Patty Murray has agreed to co-sponsor the bill in the senate. And while I am excited about this bill, the area included in it is not under immanent threat. What is under threat from ORV molestation and extractive industries are the following areas:

The Moonlight Dome Roadless Area-Olympic National Forest
Kettle River Range- Colville National Forest
Dark Divide- Gifford Pinchot National Forest
South Entiat Mountains (Upper Mad River)-Wenatchee National Forest
Eastern Sawtooth Range (Golden Lakes)- Wenatchee National Forest
Mount Bonapare- Okanogan National Forest

These lands are long overdue for wilderness protection. They were bypassed in the 1984 act and have repeatably been overlooked for wilderness in the past two and a half decades. Time is running out on these lands. It is time now for wilderness for these, some of Washington's last great unprotected wildlands. It won't be easy with the likes of Hastings and McMorris-Rodgers in Congress-but with Reichert on board he can help power broke. Start urging (if you haven't already) your elected officials to get on board!

(photo- Middle Fork Snoqualmie River-near Washington's possible next wilderness area)

Omnibus Public Land Management Act

Has Overwhelming Support in Congress

but Goes Down in Defeat!

Say What?

You have to love the way our system works sometimes (Insert sarcasm here). The Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, a bill that would have established two million acres of new wilderness and make the Pacific Northwest Trail and the New England Trail National Scenic Trails among other things-a bill that had wide bipartisan support (73-21) in the Senate was defeated in the house by 2 votes.

Final Vote 282 For
144 Against
6 Not Voting

If it had 282 votes for it-then how could it have possibly been defeated you are probably thinking. Well- you are going to love this-the bill failed in the House of Representatives this week by roll call vote. The vote was held under a suspension of the rules to cut debate short and pass the bill, needing a two-thirds majority. Something that usually occurs for non-controversial legislation.

Repeat after me:
Un-insert a common profane modifier here-believable!

It appears that 141 of the 178 House Republicans and three Blue Dog Dems didn't like the bill. For the usual anti-wilderness forces its just business as usual-but perhaps for a few of the more open thinkers they got cold feet because of all of the crazy spending that has been going on recently.

Gotta love the irony of this session tough. Yep- Don't pay your mortgage- Congress and the Prez come to your rescue! Swindle tax payers with toxic mortgages and investments-Congress and the Prez come to your rescue! Run a major company that can't turn a profit-hey-don't worry- Congress and the Prez will come to your rescue!But try to protect a few small corners of undeveloped America for wild critters and future generations-and you can Forgetaboutit!

So I suppose its back to the drawing board and perhaps best so that any toxic amendments that were attached to this bill can be stripped off before trying all over again. Then again-we came so close-its so frustrating! Before we re-camp-be sure to check out the heroes and zeros below and let them know how you feel.

Heroes and Zeros

Thank your Democratic congressperson unless its James Marshall of Georgia, Collin Peterson of Minnesota, or Dan Boren of Oklahoma. Bobby Bright of Alabama, Suzanne Kosmas of Florida and John Hall of New York didn't vote and they could have made the difference on this vote! Ask them why they weren't doing their job!

Thirty-four republicans voted for the bill and they should be thanked-among them-
Michael Simpson of Idaho, Greg Walden of Oregon, Donald Young of Alaska, and our Dave Reichert of Washington.

Admonish Cathy McMorris-Rodgers and Doc Hastings of WA for voting against this bill-the only two Congressional members in the entire Northwest delegation (WA, OR, ID, AK) that voted against this bill! The entire New England Congressional delegation voted for the bill and they should be thanked.

(photo-A scene in the Holyoke Hills of Massachusetts where the proposed New England National Trail Travels over)

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)

Darcy Burned!

Thank God that the Democratic fervor that swept across America this past November 4th didn't sweep out out of Congress, Dave Reichert (WA 8th District). I understand all too well why Obama was put in the White House-but unfortunately the coattail effect often puts people in power who don't deserve it-they just happen to be affiliated with the party that is currently in vogue-like Ms. Gregoire our free-spending governor. It would have truly been a shame if Mr. Reichert lost to political hack Darcy Burner. Dave is a good moderate Republican out of the traditional wing of his party. And Dave is no foe of the environment. Now that he has been reelected he can get the ball going again on getting his wilderness bill passed-a bill that will increase the size of the ever-popular Alpine lakes Wilderness. As for Darcy, perhaps now she'll have more time to work on her education!