[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 103 (Thursday, June 25, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Page S4653]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. WYDEN (for himself and Mr. Merkley):
  S. 1699. A bill to designate certain land administered by the Bureau 
of Land Management and the Forest Service in the State of Oregon as 
wilderness and national recreation areas and to make additional wild 
and scenic river designations in the State of Oregon, and for other 
purposes; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
  Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, today I am introducing the Oregon Wildlands 
Act to designate hundreds of miles of Oregon Rivers as Wild and Scenic, 
to protect thousands of acres of beautiful Oregon lands as National 
Recreation Areas, and to expand Wilderness for some of Oregon's most 
treasured areas.
  Oregon is a unique State and Oregonians take pride in the many 
natural treasures throughout our diverse landscape. From the Oregon 
Coast to the high desert of Eastern Oregon, our State boasts some of 
the most beautiful scenery, varied ecosystems, and unmatched outdoor 
recreation opportunities in the nation. Protecting these lands and 
rivers ensures that they will be treasured for generations to come. 
Oregon's rivers and landscapes are also home to threatened and 
endangered species, old-growth trees, and delicate ecosystems that 
deserve the highest protections.
  Enjoying the outdoors is in Oregonians' DNA--across the State, 
opportunities to get outside and enjoy Oregon's treasures bring in 
visitors from all over the world and make residents proud to call 
Oregon home. Protecting the lands and waters that support recreation is 
also an investment in our rural economies. In Oregon alone, the tourism 
industry employed more than 100,000 Oregonians during 2014 and 
generated $10.3 billion for the State's economy. Nationwide, outdoor 
recreation supports a $646 billion industry. Ensuring that visitors 
have pristine rivers to fish and float on, wilderness areas to hike in, 
and recreation areas to explore is a guaranteed way to make certain 
that visitors will return year after year.
  All told, the bill designates approximately 118,000 acres of 
Recreation Areas, approximately 250 miles of Wild and Scenic Rivers, 
and over 86,600 acres of Wilderness. Each area offers significant 
opportunities for recreation and ecosystem protections.
  The protections in this bill highlight some of Oregon's most 
environmentally significant areas, such as Devil's Staircase near the 
Oregon Coast. Devil's Staircase is the epitome of Wilderness in 
Oregon--it is rugged, pristine, and remote, with hikers following elk 
and deer trails to navigate the rugged terrain. My bill would protect 
approximately 30,540 acres as wilderness and 14.6 miles of Wasson Creek 
and Franklin Creek, which run through the Devil's Staircase area as 
Wild and Scenic Rivers. Devil's Staircase is home to the most 
remarkable old-growth forest on Oregon's Coast Range, where giant 
Douglas-fir, cedar, and hemlock support threatened and endangered 
species habitat, such as marbled murrelets and Northern Spotted Owls.
  My proposal would expand the Wild Rogue Wilderness by approximately 
56,100 acres and include an additional 125 miles to the incomparable 
Wild and Scenic Rogue River. The Rogue is world-renowned as a premier 
recreation destination for rafting and fishing, with its free flowing 
waters starting at Oregon's Crater Lake National Park and emptying into 
the Pacific Ocean. Along the way, the Rogue River flows through a 
diverse landscape and its cold waters are the perfect habitat for 
salmon--the river is home to runs of Coho, spring and fall Chinook, and 
winter and summer Steelhead. By protecting the Rogue River and its 
tributaries we are protecting the fish and wildlife that depend on 
clean, healthy water. Additionally, the Wilderness expansion would 
protect the habitat for bald eagles, osprey, spotted owls, bear, elk, 
and cougars.
  In addition, my proposal designates approximately 35.2 miles of the 
Elk River and 21.3 miles of the Molalla River as a new recreational, 
scenic, and wild rivers, and withdraws 19 miles of the Chetco River, 
one of the most endangered rivers in the country, from mineral 
development. By protecting hundreds of miles of Wild and Scenic Rivers, 
as well as the lands that surround those rivers, my proposal ensures 
that important wildlife habitat can thrive, that Oregon's treasured 
recreation destinations remain scenic and pristine, and that Oregonians 
continue to have clean sources of drinking water.
  I am pleased to be joined on this bill by my colleague from Oregon 
Senator Jeff Merkley who has worked closely with me over the years to 
protect Oregon's natural treasures.

                          ____________________