26,000 Acres of Northwest Wilderness Designations

Washington and Oregon; National

Photo at right: Colchuck Lake is one of the gorgeous destinations in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. The wilderness area would be expanded under new legislation. Photo by Richard Cassan via flickr

Dec. 16, 2014 – The House and the Senate have voted to pass the National Defense Authorization Act, which includes designations for 26,000 acres of wilderness in Washington State and Oregon – with a total of 245,000 acres of protected wilderness areas nationally.

The bill will now go to President Obama to be signed into law.

Washington State

The legislation affecting Washington State includes the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Additions and Pratt and Middle Fork Snoqualmie Rivers Protection Act, as well as the the Illabot Creek Wild and Scenic River Act.

“This legislation would expand the existing Alpine Lakes wilderness by roughly 22,000 acres, preserving low-elevation, family-friendly wilderness within a 45-minute drive of Seattle,” says The Wilderness Society’s Washington State Director Ben Greuel. “It would also designate the Pratt and Middle Fork Snoqualmie rivers as Wild and Scenic, protecting clean water, native trout and world-class outdoor recreational opportunities that support local economies and make this region a spectacular place to live and play.”

Oregon

The legislation is also expected to expand the Oregon Caves National Monument by more than 4,000 acres, transferring land from the Forest Service to the National Park Service.

The bill would create a National Preserve where hunting and fishing would be permitted.

“We can’t speak to the other measures in this large piece of legislation, but we can speak to the Oregon Caves,” said Joseph Vaile of KS Wild. “Protecting this unique corner of Southwest Oregon’s Siskiyou Mountains will put this region on the map, and help attract visitors from around the country to visit a special natural wonder.”

For more information about the 2014 NDAA, go to: http://naturalresources.house.gov/legislation/?legislationid=397951