[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 108 (Thursday, September 14, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8590-S8591]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. SMITH of Oregon (for himself and Mr. Wyden):
  S. 3052. A bill to designate wilderness areas and a cooperative 
management and protection area in the vicinity of Steens Mountain in 
Harney County, Oregon, and for other purposes; to the Committee on 
Energy and Natural Resources.


                 steens mountain wilderness act of 2000

  Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, today I join my friend from Oregon, Senator 
Smith, in the introduction of the Steens Mountain Wilderness Act of 
2000. Located in southeastern Oregon, Steens Mountain is, in the words 
of Oregon environmentalist, Andy Kerr, ``an ecological island in the 
sky.'' Rising a mile above the desert floor, Steens Mountain actually 
creates its own weather patterns. Though we from Oregon are blessed to 
have it located

[[Page S8591]]

within our state boundary, it is truly a National natural treasure.
  Some have wondered why any legislative action at all is needed to 
protect the Steens. They say the Steens has been there a long time and 
is doing just fine. Why not just leave it alone?
  There are three reasons why inaction at this time is an unacceptable 
choice.
  First, there are many landowners today in the Steens with a 
commitment to protect this ecological treasure. There is no assurance 
that this will always be the case.
  Second, our federal land agencies are now committed to protecting the 
natural ecology of the Steens. There is no assurance that this will 
always be the case.
  Third, the Steens includes many wilderness study areas. We now have 
the opportunity to begin resolving the status of these lands that have 
been in limbo for twenty years. There is no assurance that Oregon's 
future elected officials, working with all concerned parties, will ever 
again have such a unique opportunity to address this contentious issue.
  The fact of the matter is that protecting the ecological health of 
the Steens isn't going to happen by osmosis. It has taken the hard work 
of the Oregon Congressional delegation, Governor Kitzhaber, Secretary 
Babbitt and numerous staff and private citizens of Oregon to get this 
legislation where it is today. It will take a bit more hard work to get 
a Senate-passed bill.
  It is my task, as a United States Senator, to move this legislation 
forward through the committee hearing and Senate floor processes. In 
that context, this bill will most likely have to be fine-tuned to 
accommodate additional concerns. I look forward to working with all my 
colleagues to see that this bill is passed before the lights go down on 
the 106th Congress. But one major aspect of this bill can never change: 
the protections for the ecological treasure that is the Steens will be 
put in place while we also preserve the important historical ranching 
culture that thrives there.
  There have been issues raised about the valuation of the land 
exchanges that make the adoption of over 170,000 acres of wilderness 
possible in this bill. Let me make it perfectly clear that this bill 
should stand or fall on whether there is significant public value at 
the end of the day. I believe the Senate will find that the 
expenditures authorized by this legislation purchase the sum of a 
greater public value than can be accounted for by its individual parts. 
I will continue to work to assure that this legislation achieves the 
greatest environmental good possible.
                                 ______