Governor Calls for Greater Protections of the Siskiyou Wild Rivers Area

Governor Calls for Greater Protections of the Siskiyou Wild Rivers Area

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 15, 2009

Contacts:

Anna Richter Taylor, 503-378-6169

Rem Nivens, 503-378-6496

Jillian Schoene, 503-378-5040

Governor Calls for Greater Protections of the Siskiyou Wild Rivers Area

(Salem) – In letters to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, Governor Ted Kulongoski today called for greater protections of the Siskiyou Wild Rivers area in southwest Oregon. Specifically, the Governor called for the reinstatement of the withdrawal of mining, first proposed by the Clinton administration in 2001. 

“The Siskiyou Wild Rivers area is the most unique and biologically diverse region of our state, and without greater protections, we could lose what makes this area so special,” Governor Kulongoski said. “The first step should be to withdraw mining, and the second should be a wilderness designation – the greatest protection federal law provides.”

In January 2001, the Clinton administration proposed a mining withdrawal for the area. However, the withdrawal was not finalized by the Bush administration. Without the withdrawal, the area is subject to the 1872 federal mining law which does not reflect modern environmental protections or assure adequate royalties to public coffers. 

In his letter, Governor Kulongoski also repeated his call for updating of the 1872 law and for permanent protection of the Siskiyou Wild Rivers area by congressional action designating it as a wilderness area. Citing a letter he sent to Oregon’s congressional delegation in 2008, the Governor stressed the significance of the Wild Rivers landscape and ecosystems and his specific concern that a recent ban on dredge mining in California could result in new threats of mining to the Wild Rivers area of Oregon.

The Siskiyou Wild Rivers area is noted for its outstanding scenic and recreational values.  It is also nationally recognized for its biological diversity and has been designated an Area of Global Botanical Significance by the World Conservation Union. The area is approximately one million acres in size and spans Bureau of Land Management and national forest lands in Josephine and Curry counties.

Letter to Agriculture Secretary Vilsack.

Letter to Interior Secretary Salazar.