05.23.07

Senate Natural Resources Committee Passes Wild Sky Wilderness Bill

Legislation championed by Murray and Cantwell in Senate would preserve more than 100,000 acres of forest in Skykomish River valley

WASHINGTON, DC - Wednesday, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee passed Wild Sky Wilderness legislation introduced by U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA). While this marks the fourth time the bill has passed the Senate panel, the measure passed the House for the very first time earlier this year. It will now go to the full Senate, which has gone on record in support of the measure on three separate occasions in recent years.

"This is finally the year for Wild Sky," said Cantwell, a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. "We will get Wild Sky signed into law and get our state its first new wilderness in more than two decades. This is a solid plan that protects local stakeholders, gives a tourism boost to communities in eastern Snohomish County, and enhances opportunities for climbers, hikers, and anglers. It's long-past time we set aside this magnificent piece of our state's natural heritage."

Murray, the lead sponsor of the bill, said, "I applaud the Committee's work to move Wild Sky Wilderness forward one more time. Wild Sky represents the best means of protecting our wildlands and the native species that rely on them while also providing recreational opportunities that benefit our state's growing population and local economies. Today's Committee vote is one of the last steps in a long process that has brought diverse groups together to focus on protecting our environment well into the future."

Led by Murray in the Senate and Congressman Rick Larsen (D-WA) in the House, the proposal would permanently protect 106,577 acres of the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest as wilderness. The area lies just north of Highway 2 in the Cascade Mountains, and is only 90 minutes by car from 2.5 million Washington residents. It includes higher elevations as well as lowland forests and salmon streams in the Skykomish and Beckler river valleys.

The Wild Sky legislation would contribute to the local economy, boost tourism in nearby communities, and develop new recreation opportunities. It is also designed to protect uses that have been a part of the area for years, such as the use of seaplanes on Lake Isabel. Preserving this area will safeguard wildlife habitat, preserve clean water sources, and protect wolves, mountain goats, black and grizzly bears, deer, and threatened salmon, steelhead, and trout.

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