Bulletin E-Edition:
Badlands wilderness designation is narrowly defeated
Public lands bill fails by just 2 votes; Badlands activists vow to fight on
By Keith Chu / The Bulletin
Published: March 12. 2009 4:00AM PSTWASHINGTON — A massive package of more than 160 public lands bills — including two that would create wilderness areas in Central Oregon — unexpectedly failed in the U.S. House on Wednesday by two votes.
All of Oregon’s five U.S. House members voted for the bill, which failed 282-144. The bill came up under special rules that limited amendments but required a two-thirds majority to pass.
Bend’s Oregon Natural Desert Association was a prime backer of creating wilderness areas in the Badlands, east of Bend, and in Spring Basin, an area south of Clarno near the John Day River.
The vote was so close that it is “inevitable” both will become wilderness eventually, ONDA Executive Director Brent Fenty said.
“We’re so close,” Fenty said. “We’re trying to be heartened by that and we’re expecting that the majority will figure out a way to move this thing forward by some other strategy.”
Democratic leaders didn’t announce their next move on Wednesday.
In a statement, House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Nick Rahall, D-W.Va., said the bill’s proponents were working on a new strategy.
“There are a lot of good bills, sponsored by both Democrats and Republicans, contained in S. 22 that deserve passage,” Rahall said, referring to the bill number of the public lands measure.
“We will continue to determine the best course of action to advance these measures.”
ONDA has lobbied for years to create a Badlands wilderness from about 30,000 acres of High Desert less than 20 miles from Bend. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., first proposed the Badlands wilderness legislation last year.
The area provides habitat for yellow-bellied marmots, bobcat, mule deer, elk and pronghorn, according to the Bureau of Land Management.
New mining, pipelines, roads and other developments are banned in wilderness areas, but hiking, hunting and existing grazing allotments are allowed under federal law.
U.S. Rep. Greg Walden, R-Hood River, was one of only 34 Republicans to vote for the measure. His spokesman, Andrew Whelan, said Walden has gotten strong feedback in favor of the wilderness areas.
“We had a lot of support … and hopefully the majority can find a path to getting this passed,” Whelan said.
In total, the bill would have set aside about 200,000 acres of Oregon wilderness in five areas, including 127,000 acres at Mount Hood.
U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Portland, said the vote proved that a large majority of the House supports new wilderness.
“Today’s vote on public lands, though disappointing, is not disheartening,” Blumenauer said. “Instead, with 282 votes in favor of the bill, we are sending a clear signal that we will continue to work to send this bill to the president for a signature.”
The bill that failed Wednesday also included a section that authorizes the Tumalo Irrigation District’s project to replace a section of the open Tumalo Feed Canal with pipe. Authorization is the first step in a process that can lead to federal funding.
Fenty was hopeful the package would pass soon.
“You’ve got now a bill that passed with overwhelming majority in the Senate and has now (received an) overwhelming majority in the House, so it’s just a matter of time, and we remain optimistic that this is going to happen and Badlands and Spring Basin are going to get the protection they deserve,” Fenty said.
Keith Chu can be reached at 202-662-7456 or at kchu@bendbulletin.com.
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