On July 24, 2006, the US House of Representatives passed three proposals to extend permanent protection to a total of more than 670,000 acres of wilderness in California, Idaho and Oregon. If enacted, these bills would provide permanent protection to some of the most important landscapes in each state.

The Northern California Coastal Wild Heritage Act, the Central Idaho Economic Development and Recreation Act, and the Mount Hood Stewardship Legacy Act all must be either considered or reconciled in the Senate before heading to the President's desk.

Some changes were made to each of these bills either in the House Resources Committee last week or in member-to-member negotiations prior to the bills coming to the floor, however, on balance, the changes do not diminish the significant protections that each of these measures achieves.

Bill Meadows, President of The Wilderness Society. "We celebrate these bills because of what they all have in common: they achieve permanent protection for hundreds of thousands of acres of pristine, unspoiled, natural lands for all Americans to enjoy without making unacceptable legislative tradeoffs harmful to the land."

Background
California: The Northern California Coastal Wild Heritage Act (H.R. 233, S. 128), which is sponsored by Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA) and Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), would designate 289,000 acres of wilderness and 21 miles of rivers in Humboldt, Del Norte, Mendocino, Lake, and Napa Counties, including segments of the Black Butte River. The legislation will protect the King Range and the longest stretch of undeveloped coastline in the contiguous United States, and the Cache Creek area in Lake and Napa counties, which contains the second largest wintering bald eagle population in the State. All of the lands in the bill are in the northwest corner of California, stretching from the Oregon border to Napa County. The Senate passed the companion bill, S. 128, in July of 2005. The House Resources Committee approved an amended version of the House bill last week.

Idaho: The Boulder and White Cloud Mountain ranges stretch from Ketchum, Idaho almost 40 miles northward to the Salmon River in the heart of central Idaho. The Sawtooth and Salmon-Challis National Forests and Bureau of Land Management manage this expansive region. The Boulder-White Clouds embrace eight free-flowing rivers and their tributaries that provide habitat for salmon, steelhead and bull trout. Elk, mountain goats, Bighorn sheep, wolves, bear and eagles thrive in these wildlands. The Forest Service has permitted extensive recreational motorized use in this area since the mid-1970s. Conservationists have sought wilderness protection for the Boulder-White Clouds for over 20 years.

The Central Idaho Economic Development and Recreation Act, HR 3603, would protect more than 310,000 acres of wilderness in central Idaho's Boulder-White Cloud Mountains. The measure also includes a number of other titles dealing with small land conveyances, authorization of grants for rural economic development, and continued motorized recreation opportunities. This proposal is sponsored by by Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID). The House Resources Committee approved an amended version of the bill last week.

Oregon: The low elevation forests surrounding Oregon's Mount Hood and Columbia River Gorge provide the clean water that supports threatened steelhead, Coho, and Chinook salmon. The area provides habitat for elk, deer, and bald eagles as well as exceptional recreational opportunities for millions of Oregonians and visitors to the state. Lewis and Clark traversed this area during their famous journey to the Pacific.

The Mount Hood Stewardship Legacy Act, HR 5025, would protect 77,500 acres of wilderness on Mt. Hood and 26 miles of wild and scenic rivers. The bill was crafted by Congressmen Greg Walden (R-OR) and Earl Blumenauer (D-OR). The areas included in the bill contain ancient forests, key wildlife areas, and provide a wealth of recreational opportunities for Oregonians and Americans. The House Resources Committee held a hearing on the bill in April and approved the measure last week.

For More Information

• California:
  - Sara Barth, The Wilderness Society CA, 415-699-3477
  - Traci Sheehan Van Thull, California Wild Heritage Campaign, 916-442-3155, x 222
  - Jon Owen, Campaign for America's Wilderness, 202-266-0438
  
  
• Idaho:
  - Rick Johnson, Idaho Conservation League, 208-345-6933
  - Craig Gehrke, The Wilderness Society, 208-867-9970
  - Marcia Argust, Campaign for America's Wilderness, 202-266-0434
  
  
• Oregon:
  - Bob Freimark, The Wilderness Society OR, 541-979-2843
  - Jay Ward, Oregon Natural Resources Council, 503-283-6343
  - Ken Rait, Campaign for America's Wilderness, 503-460-9453