[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 133 (Monday, September 10, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11328-S11329]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. WYDEN:
  S. 2034. A bill to amend the Oregon Wilderness Act of 1984 to 
designate the Copper Salmon Wilderness and to amend the Wild and Scenic 
Rivers Act to designate segments of the North and South Forks of the 
Elk River in the

[[Page S11329]]

State of Oregon as wild or scenic rivers, and for other purposes; to 
the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
  Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, Oregon's coastal forests contain many 
hidden gems. Within the lush rainforests of the Siskiyou-Rogue River 
National Forest, we find one of these gems--the headwaters of the North 
Fork of the Elk River, known as the Copper Salmon area. Today I 
introduce a bill to protect this natural treasure, which lies adjacent 
to the existing Grassy Knob Wilderness.
  During the last decade, a dedicated group of local conservationists 
has been working hard to protect Copper Salmon. It is one of the last 
intact watersheds on the southwest Oregon coast. Copper Salmon is 
renowned among fishermen. For anglers seeking to catch a trophy chinook 
salmon or winter steelhead for the barbeque or smoker in Oregon, this 
is the place. Few watersheds in Oregon can match the Elk River 
drainage. Even after torrential rainstorms, anglers are still able to 
fish the Elk. When 25 inches of rain fell over 18 straight days last 
December, the Elk was still fishable while the other rivers in 
southwest Oregon, Rogue, Umpqua, Coquille, were clouded with debris and 
mud. Copper Salmon also supports healthy populations of blacktail deer, 
elk, black bear and mountain lion. This beautiful gem on the 
southwestern Oregon coast provides great and challenging opportunities 
here to hunt in freedom and solitude.
  Mr. President, 80 percent of the watershed in this region is still 
intact. The Elk has healthy wild runs of winter steelhead and chinook. 
It also has some coho salmon and sea-run cutthroat trout, as well as 
resident cutthroats and rainbow trout. Oregon State University 
researchers believe it is one of the healthiest anadromous fish streams 
in the lower 48. There is a reason why: intact habitat.
  My bill would provide permanent protections to 13,700 acres of new 
wilderness. It would also designate 9.3 miles of wild and scenic 
rivers. Wilderness and wild and scenic designations will protect this 
watershed and ensure that hunting and fishing opportunities are 
protected in the Copper Salmon area. Wilderness designation is popular 
in the local area, as evidenced by resolutions in favor of it from the 
Port Orford Chamber of Commerce, the mayor of Port Orford, and the 
Curry County Commissioners. Additionally, a majority of the guides, 
lodges and local citizens have supported this proposal. It is time now 
that we all come together and permanently protect this special place.
  As Oregon's population grows, I believe that we must match this 
growth and the corresponding development with protection of our natural 
heritage. Protection of these areas will ensure that Oregonians and 
visitors will continue to enjoy opportunities to hike in the 
wilderness, hunt healthy populations of elk, blacktail deer, black 
bear, mountain lion and to catch trophy-sized chinook and steelhead.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 2034

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Copper Salmon Wilderness 
     Act''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds that--
       (1) the proposed Copper Salmon Wilderness, comprising 
     13,700 acres, includes a significant portion of an 
     inventoried roadless area adjacent to the Grassy Knob 
     Wilderness area protected by the Oregon Wilderness Act of 
     1984 (16 U.S.C. 1132 note; Public Law 98-328);
       (2) the proposed Copper Salmon Wilderness includes--
       (A) the North Fork and South Fork of the Elk River;
       (B) the upper Middle Fork of the Sixes River; and
       (C) tributaries of the South Fork of Coquille River;
       (3) the Elk River is designated as a Tier 1 Key Watershed;
       (4) the fisheries of the Elk River are recognized as 1 of 
     the best salmon and steelhead producers in the 48 contiguous 
     States, producing more salmon per square meter than most 
     rivers outside the State of Alaska;
       (5) designation of the proposed Wilderness would provide 
     permanent protection for the last remaining mammoth Port 
     Orford Cedars in the Elk River watershed;
       (6) the protection of the proposed Copper Salmon Wilderness 
     is supported by the local communities near the proposed 
     Wilderness, which have passed resolutions supporting the 
     designation of the proposed Wilderness;
       (7) the master plan for the economic stability of Curry 
     County, Oregon, includes ecotourism and recreation as primary 
     sources of income; and
       (8) permanent protection for the proposed Copper Salmon 
     Wilderness is needed to conserve the environment in 
     southwestern Oregon.

     SEC. 3. DESIGNATION OF THE COPPER SALMON WILDERNESS.

       Section 3 of the Oregon Wilderness Act of 1984 (16 U.S.C. 
     1132 note; Public Law 98-328) is amended--
       (1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking 
     ``eight hundred fifty-nine thousand six hundred acres'' and 
     inserting ``873,300 acres''; and
       (2) in paragraph (29), by striking the period at the end 
     and inserting ``; and''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(30) certain land in the Siskiyou National Forest, 
     comprising approximately 13,700 acres, as generally depicted 
     on the map entitled `Proposed Copper Salmon Wilderness Area', 
     to be known as the `Copper Salmon Wilderness'.''.

     SEC. 4. WILD AND SCENIC RIVER DESIGNATIONS, ELK RIVER, 
                   OREGON.

       Section 3(a)(76) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 
     U.S.C. 1274(a)(76)) is amended--
       (1) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking 
     ``19-mile segment'' and inserting ``29-mile segment'';
       (2) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``; and'' and 
     inserting a period; and
       (3) by striking subparagraph (B) and inserting the 
     following:
       ``(B) The approximately 0.4-mile segment of the North Fork 
     Elk from the source of the North Fork Elk in sec. 21, T. 33 
     S., R. 12 W., of the Willamette Meridian, downstream to 0.01 
     miles downstream of Forest Service Road 3353, as a scenic 
     river.
       ``(C) The approximately 5.3-mile segment of the North Fork 
     Elk from 0.01 miles downstream of Forest Service Road 3353 
     downstream to its confluence with the South Fork Elk, as a 
     wild river.
       ``(D) The approximately 0.9-mile segment of the South Fork 
     Elk from the source of the North Fork Elk in sec. 32, T. 33 
     S., R. 12 W., of the Willamette Meridian, downstream to 0.01 
     miles downstream of Forest Service Road 3353, as a scenic 
     river.
       ``(E) The approximately 4.2-mile segment of the South Fork 
     Elk from 0.01 miles downstream of Forest Service Road 3353 
     downstream to the confluence with the North Fork Elk, as a 
     wild river.''.
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