[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 156 (Sunday, September 28, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2125-E2126]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   TRIBUTE TO NANCY NEIGHBOR RUSSELL

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                          HON. EARL BLUMENAUER

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                      Saturday, September 27, 2008

  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of 
Nancy Neighbor Russell, an extraordinary Oregonian who passed away last 
week. More than 20 years ago, Nancy co-founded Friends of the Columbia 
Gorge and was the driving force behind the passage of the Columbia 
River Gorge National Scenic Area Act in 1986. Nancy's efforts on behalf 
of the once-threatened Gorge have preserved it as one of the most 
magnificent natural and scenic landscapes in the United States, and a 
recreational mecca for visitors world-wide.
  Nancy loved the Gorge, and thanks to her, future generations will 
have the same opportunities to enjoy its beauty. The Gorge Act 
designated more than 292,000 acres as federally regulated land, aimed 
at protecting and enhancing the Gorge's scenic, cultural, recreational, 
and natural resources. But that was just the start for Nancy. Over 
time, she purchased 33 parcels of property--600 acres--and sold many to 
the Federal Government for open space. Her vision of a network of 
public hiking trails, parks, and vistas is part of the Columbia River 
Gorge's enduring legacy.

[[Page E2126]]

  Nancy's contributions to conservation have inspired comparisons to 
John Muir. Oregonians who love all that the Gorge has to offer, 
including hiking, scenic driving, wildflowers, and waterfalls, have 
Nancy Russell to thank. Her last visit to the Gorge came just 3 weeks 
before she passed. Her legacy of sweeping views, rugged rivers and 
mountains, and pristine beauty lives on.

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