FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

A Wild Waldo Lake Gets Its Day In Court

Conservationists, Forest Service Back Protections For Pristine Lake

A federal judge hears the first arguments in the case to protect Waldo Lake from harmful gas motors. Oregon Wild granted motion to intervene in support of the Forest Service decision to ban gas motors on one of the most pristine lakes in the world.

Conservationists and the U.S. Forest Service stood on the same side of a federal court room today in their efforts to maintain a ban on gas motors at Waldo Lake. The hearing came as a result of a lawsuit brought by Steve Stewart, heir to Stub Stewart’s timber fortune, challenging a 2007 decision by the Forest Service to phase out gasoline internal combustion engines on the lake.

“We are excited that the Forest Service is going to bat for the vast majority of people who visit Waldo Lake and want their experience to be peaceful and pristine,” said Doug Heiken of Oregon Wild. The Forest Service made a similar decision to ban gas motors in 2000, but backed away from the ban upon appeal.

“Protections for Waldo’s waters have been a long time coming,” added Gary Guttormsen, Oregon Wild board member and long time Waldo advocate. “This is one of the purest lakes in the world. It deserves world class protections.”

The current Forest Service rule comes as the result of an Environmental Assessment process begun in 2004. The ban on gas motors is to be phased in over a two-year period, giving lake users adequate time to adjust. The current rule does allow for the use of gas-powered motors in case of an emergency.

In court today, the judge heard arguments on a motion to dismiss Stewart’s claim that the Forest Service does not have the right to restrict use of lakes contained within federal land. Waldo Lake is bordered on all sides by the Willamette National Forest and has been regulated by the Forest Service for many years.

“The Forest Service has been regulating boat use on Waldo Lake for many years,” said Pete Frost, the attorney representing conservation groups for the Western Environmental Law Center. “This decision supports the vast majority of users who don’t run gas motors on the lake and want it t stay pristine and clean.”

Waldo Lake, located 60 miles southeast of Eugene, is one of the largest natural lakes in Oregon and the second deepest. The lake is the source of the nationally designated Wild and Scenic North Fork Middle Fork Willamette River. The lake is surrounded on three sides by the 39,000-acre Waldo Lake Wilderness, designated by Congress in 1984 to protect the area’s outstanding forests, scenic mountains, and backcountry recreation values.

Frank Armendariz, manager of Eugene-based Oregon River Sports added comments about the importance of a primitive Waldo Lake to the vitality of outdoor businesses. “Wilderness areas add to our bottom line. Many of our customers enjoy kayaking and canoeing on Waldo Lake and we believe that the gas motor ban will only increase this interest.”

Contact:
Doug Heiken, Conservation and Restoration Coordinator, Oregon Wild 541.344.0675
Gary Guttormsen, Waldo Lake Advocate 541.913.6862
Pete Frost, Attorney, Western Environmental Law Center 541.485.2471
Frank Armendariz, Oregon River Sports 541.334

###