FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Mount Hood Wilderness Protection Hits Snag in US House

Despite overwhelming support, public lands bill that includes five Oregon Wilderness designations doesn’t pass House

House leaders vow to regroup and find new way to pass popular Wilderness package.

The U.S. House of Representatives today voted 282 to 144 in favor of legislation that would have protected Mount Hood and the Columbia River Gorge. Despite all of Oregon’s House delegation voting in favor of the bill, it fell just two votes short of the required two thirds majority. The Omnibus Public Lands Management Act (S.22) would also protect pristine areas in the Soda Mountain Wilderness, Copper Salmon Wilderness, Spring Basin Wilderness and Badlands Wilderness. The bill will likely be brought up under a different procedure in the coming weeks.

“Protecting Mount Hood and the Columbia Gorge as Wilderness protects the quality of life that attracts tourism and businesses to our region,” said Erik Fernandez, Wilderness Coordinator for the conservation group Oregon Wild. “We applaud the efforts of Congressmen Earl Blumenauer and Peter DeFazio for their efforts to pass these historic protections.”

Wilderness designations are the most effective tool for protecting Oregon’s heritage landscape. Protected Wilderness areas provide Oregonians with clean drinking water, habitat for wildlife, recreational opportunities, and carbon storage in forests that helps curb global warming.

Congressmen Blumenauer and DeFazio were joined in supporting the bill by Republican Rep. Greg Walden—one of 34 Republicans supporting the bipartisan bill. In addition, newly elected Rep. Kurt Schrader and Rep. David Wu also cast votes in favor of the Omnibus bill.

“Today’s vote shows the unfortunate politics in Congress when a proposal gets almost twice as many votes in favor as against yet fails for procedural reasons,” added Pedery. “We expect the popularity of these Wilderness protections to ultimately carry the day.”

The legislation introduced today would protect 202,000 acres in Oregon as Wilderness. Currently only 3.7% of Oregon is protected as Wilderness compared to 14% in California, 11% in Washington and 7.5% in Idaho. 

Additional information, maps and photos of the proposed Wilderness areas mentioned above are available from Oregon Wild -- contact Erik Fernandez at (503) 283-6343 x202 or e-mail ef@oregonwild.org.

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