About the Wild Sky wilderness area

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The Wild Sky Wilderness Act stands an excellent chance of passing Congress this session in large part due to the wisdom of California voters, who removed a significant impediment.

Creation of Washington's first new wilderness area in more than 20 years has always enjoyed bipartisan support. Five years ago, when the idea of protecting stands of low-elevation, old-growth trees in eastern Snohomish County was first introduced, a Republican congressman from Idaho said the bill "was done the right way."

Bound up in that praise was lots of preparatory work with the communities of Index and Skykomish and interested hikers, bikers, cross-country skiers, hunters, anglers, float-plane pilots and snowmobilers.

Lots of conversations and lots of nipping and tucking of boundaries and discussions with relevant interest groups and government agencies also took place.

A vision that began as 110,000 acres in the 107th Congress is before the 110th session as 106,577 acres.

The White House has been on board for more than four years. Washington Sen. Patty Murray has walked the legislation through the Senate three times. In the House, Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Lake Stevens, has patiently worked the legislation through his district and on Capitol Hill.

The roadblock was always the Republican chair of the House Natural Resources Committee, and he was not re-elected last November.

The new Democratic leader declared Wild Sky to be his committee's top wilderness priority.

The gavel changing hands will not spare Wild Sky from another review in the House, but the proposal, with its natural beauty, full menu of outdoor activities and economic potential, is a good story that bears repeating.

source: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialsopinion/2003575756_wilded18.html

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House panel approves Mount Baker-area Wild Sky Wilderness
By Matthew Daly

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON — A key House committee today approved a bill creating a Wild Sky Wilderness northeast of Seattle, the first new wilderness area in Washington state in more than 20 years.

The bill, introduced by Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Lake Stevens, would designate 106,577 acres in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest as wilderness, the government's highest level of protection.

The Senate has approved the Wild Sky proposal three times in recent years, but the plan has never come up for a vote on the House floor. This year, with their party in charge of Congress, Democrats say they are confident the measure will finally be approved.

"We've reached the pinnacle of a long hike," Larsen said after the unanimous vote by the House Natural Resources panel. Getting Wild Sky legislation through the committee "is like arriving at the summit of Mount Fernow (in the Entiat Mountains southwest of Washington's Lake Chelan). I'm looking forward to the celebration at the end of the trail," Larsen said.

A Larsen aide said the House should vote on the measure this spring.

Rep. Nick Rahall, D-W.Va., chairman of the Natural Resources panel, has called Wild Sky the panel's highest wilderness priority this year. He said in a statement Wednesday that he is pleased the committee endorsed the measure at its first business meeting under Democratic control and commended Larsen "for his diligent work in seeing that this wilderness area is protected for future generations to come."

Larsen's bill, and a companion measure sponsored by Sen. Patty Murray would designate 106,577 acres in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest as wilderness. The two Democrats say their measure would block development or other economic activity in a sprawling area north of U.S. 2 that includes habitat for bears, bald eagles and other wildlife, as well as streams, hiking trails and other forms of recreation.

Environmental groups called the committee vote a huge victory for Washington state and supporters of Wild Sky.

"This is the critical step we've waited so long for," said Tom Uniack, conservation director of the Washington Wilderness Coalition, noting that the Wild Sky effort was blocked in the Resources committee for years under Republican control.

"It is exciting to see the legislation beginning its journey this year by passing out of this committee," Uniack said. "We look forward to Congress finally getting the job done this year."

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003606378_webwildsky07.html

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House OKs Wild Sky Wilderness bill
By MATTHEW DALY

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The House today approved a bill creating a Wild Sky Wilderness northeast of Seattle, the first new wilderness area in Washington state in more than 20 years.

The bill, introduced by U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Lake Stevens, would designate 106,577 acres in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest as wilderness, the government's highest level of protection.

The Senate has approved the Wild Sky proposal three times in recent years, but the plan had never come up for a vote on the House floor. The measure was approved today on a voice vote.

"Wild Sky will protect more low-elevation acres than any other wilderness area in the state, bringing wilderness closer to our communities and benefiting Washington families and businesses for generations to come," Larsen said.

U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., also sponsored a companion measure to the House bill. The two Democrats say their measure would block development or other economic activity in a sprawling area north of U.S. Highway 2 that includes habitat for bears, bald eagles and other wildlife, as well as streams, hiking trails and opportunities for other forms of recreation.

Environmental groups called the House vote a huge victory for Washington state and supporters of Wild Sky.

"Today's vote is a huge step forward not only for Wild Sky, but for the many Washingtonians who wish to preserve this wilderness for our children and grandchildren to experience," said Michelle Ackermann, regional director of The Wilderness Society.

from: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003669874_webwildsky17m.html

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Wild Sky bill passes key committee
Senate panel OKs measure, sends it to floor for a vote
By CHARLES POPE
P-I WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT

WASHINGTON -- A key Senate committee on Wednesday unanimously approved legislation creating the Wild Sky Wilderness Area, moving the popular -- but long-suffering -- proposal to the edge of reality.

With the support of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, the legislation to create Washington state's first new wilderness area in 23 years is all but guaranteed to become law in coming months. The bill now moves to the Senate floor, where it enjoys broad support. The House passed an identical bill in April. "The finish line is finally in sight for all of us who have worked over the years to protect the Wild Sky area and improve recreational opportunities in our state," said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., who has been Wild Sky's prime sponsor in the Senate.

Both bills would give 106,577 acres in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest the highest level of protection afforded federal property.

The property would be off-limits to vehicles, including bicycles and snowmobiles, as well as to logging, mining and other commercial uses. Wheelchairs would be allowed, and the proposal calls for a two-mile former logging road to be converted to a wheelchair-accessible trail.

Road construction would be prohibited except in emergencies, such as fires. The goal is to preserve the land so that the 2.4 million people who live within two hours of the valley can experience views and vistas that greeted the first settlers.

And in a break with tradition in which only the highest-elevation land is protected, 30 percent of the land protected by Wild Sky would be considered lowland, including forests and salmon-bearing streams.

Murray and Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Wash., who sponsored the House bill, have stressed for years the potential benefit of Wild Sky, noting that the land is a mere 90 minutes from Seattle and other population centers. That proximity is certain to make the area popular, they say.

"Years from now people won't remember the struggle and effort that was put into protecting the Wild Sky, but for folks in the Sky Valley this will be one of our finest hours," said Mike Town with Friends of the Wild Sky.

"This legislation is about protecting the Sky Valley's future and we hope the Senate will act quickly to finally pass this bill."

The bill's passage to the Senate floor was expected. The Senate has passed Wild Sky three times in previous years, only to see it fail in the House. But the election in November removed the single-largest barrier to passage when Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Calif., was defeated and when Democrats took control of the House.

Those changes allowed Wild Sky to move swiftly through the House, and supporters are confident it has more than enough votes to pass when the final vote is held.

Getting the bills to this point has been more time-consuming than expected.

As originally conceived by Larsen and Murray, Wild Sky was to be a sanctuary covering 120,000 acres. That number dropped to 106,000 acres after various groups, including the Washington State Snowmobile Association, raised concerns.

Other changes came in response to concerns from the Seaplane Pilots Association, the Backcountry Horsemen Association and others who worried that they would be denied access to the land. The boundaries were altered yet again when the Forest Service and Snohomish County voiced concerns.

Larsen, Murray and other supporters were forced to constantly tailor the proposal to address those and other concerns.


WHAT IS THE WILD SKY WILDERNESS?106,577 acres in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest would receive the highest level of protection afforded federal property.

The area would be off-limits to vehicles, including bicycles and snowmobiles, as well as to logging, mining and other commercial uses.

Road construction would be prohibited, except in emergencies, such as fires.

from: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/316881_wildsky24.html

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Move forces floor debate on measure

By JENNIFER A. DLOUHY
HEARST NEWSPAPERS

WASHINGTON -- A plan to protect more than 106,000 acres of wilderness in Washington state from motorists, logging and new roads has hit an unexpected snag in the Senate.

Supporters of legislation to create the Wild Sky Wilderness Area had expected the Senate to quickly send the bill to President Bush after the House unanimously passed the measure in April.

Instead, it has run into a roadblock set up by Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., a fiscal conservative on a mission to stop what he considers out-of-control spending by Congress.

Coburn has employed one of Congress' most powerful weapons against the Wild Sky bill: a parliamentary maneuver that allows members of the Senate to covertly block legislation.

The senator has placed a "hold" on the bill and dozens of others that would authorize new spending. The procedural tactic effectively blocks a quick floor vote and forces Senate leaders to schedule sometimes time-consuming floor debate if they want the measure passed.

Coburn's main objection to the Wild Sky bill is its $19 million price tag. His spokesman, John Hart, confirmed that Coburn had placed the "hold" on the measure. The senator believes "Congress should have to do what everyone else does, which is make choices within their budget," Hart said.

When families want to add a new expense, they have to cut other spending, Coburn has said. "Americans want Congress to live within its means."

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., who has been pushing the legislation with Rep. Rich Larsen, D-Wash., says the block is frustrating. But Murray said she is confident it is just a temporary detour in the tortuous path the bill has taken.

"It's been a long road, and we're going to get there," Murray said.

To get around Coburn's roadblock, Senate leaders would have to schedule debate on the bill. But most legislation passed by the Senate happens by "unanimous consent," after just a few minutes -- at most -- of attention.

Senate leaders usually reserve floor time for top priorities.

A spokesman for the top Democrat in the Senate, Harry Reid of Nevada, would not say whether he planned to force debate on the stalled Wild Sky bill.

Supporters also could try to add the measure to "must pass" legislation, such as the 12 annual spending bills that make up the federal budget. Most of those spending bills will be taken up later this year.

The Wild Sky bill would confer the highest level of protection afforded federal property on 106,577 acres in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.

Most of the land is already publicly owned, but some land held by local governments and private citizens would be acquired as part of the program.

The area would be off-limits to vehicles, including bicycles and snowmobiles, though wheelchairs and emergency vehicles would be permitted.

Logging, mining and other commercial uses also would be banned.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates the bill would cost $19 million over five years to pay for removal of roads, construction of trails and acquisition of non-federal lands. Federal coffers also would lose out on about $6 million in timber that could be harvested.

Wild Sky would become the first new wilderness area in Washington state in 23 years. Roughly one-third of the protected area would be low-altitude land with forests and salmon-bearing streams.

Michael Carroll, an associate director of The Wilderness Society who has been pushing for the project, said it is an unusual twist for the measure to be "tied up by something that has nothing to do with the merits of the bill itself."

Supporters have been seeking the wilderness designation for about seven years, five of them in Congress.

source: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/331653_wildsky14.html

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The price of wilderness? Less than 2 hours of war

By Cameron Castle
Special to The Times

HAVE been lucky to have visited many of the states in our union, but unfortunately have never made it to Oklahoma. I wonder if that state's Republican Sen. Tom Coburn has ever visited our state.

"Why do we live here?" people often ask. "Look around," is our stock answer. This state is beautiful, and we want to preserve it. Legislation to create the Wild Sky Wilderness Area took a major step toward accomplishing that with its unanimous passage in the House earlier this year. However, Coburn has blocked a vote in the Senate through a parliamentary hold on the bill.

According to Coburn spokesman John Hart, "Congress should have to do what everyone else does, which is making choices within their budget. Americans want Congress to live within their means."

The estimated cost of the Wild Sky bill would be about $19 million and protect 106,000 acres of wilderness in Snohomish County. It is saying a lot about the hard work, thought and compromise put into the bill that, in today's divisive climate in Congress, it could garner unanimous approval, bringing around pro-business and Republican critics in the process.

I do not know why the senator from Oklahoma would want to single-handedly derail a plan protecting part of the state of Washington. If this situation were reversed, I am sure he would be furious.

But, to Coburn's objection to the Wild Sky bill on the principle that Congress would be spending money it doesn't have, I have the solution.

Coburn's support for continuing the war in Iraq is evident. He was one of only nine senators who voted to block debate on President Bush's strategy in Iraq.

The current cost to fund the war in Iraq is $8 billion a month. I wanted to see how that related to $19 million. That was amazingly difficult, because I couldn't find a calculator that would allow me to enter that many digits: 8,000,000,000. But, I didn't give up, and finally came up with the answer.

At $8 billion a month, our government is spending $19 million on the war in Iraq every hour and 44 minutes.

Here is the way we can save our irreplaceable wilderness and find the money to pay for it at the same time.

Sen. Coburn should call his friends at the White House and ask them when they are finally planning to end the war in Iraq, and whether they could just do it one hour and 44 minutes sooner.

One hundred and forty-four minutes! Given how long the administration is implying it wants to stay in Iraq, certainly it has enough time to clip off a measly hour and 44 minutes.

from: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2004012120_snocastle14.html

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By Lynda V. Mapes
Seattle Times staff reporter


After nearly nine years of work and four tries, the proposed Wild Sky Wilderness Area seems finally headed for approval, designating the first major new wilderness in Washington in a generation.

A bill containing the wilderness area passed on a 91-4 vote in the U.S. Senate on Thursday and is headed to virtually certain passage in the House as soon as next week. The president is expected to sign it.

Wild Sky has been a dream for so many, for so long, that U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, a Washington Democrat and the bill's original sponsor in the Senate, was still a little gun-shy in a news conference Thursday announcing the bill's passage for the fourth time in the Senate.

"I am not uncorking the champagne until this is signed into law, but I don't have any indications there will be any challenges," Murray said. "I'm thrilled we are so close to victory."

The wilderness area was included in a massive bill that combined 62 separate proposals related to public lands from coast to coast.

Unlike the usual rock-and-ice wilderness areas too high in elevation to be enjoyed much of the year, and too far away to visit without at least a three-day weekend, Wild Sky is likely to become a family friend for many Puget Sound residents.

That's because the area covers more than 106,000 acres in east Snohomish County, including rare, low-elevation old-growth forests and 25 miles of salmon streams, all within an easy drive of more than 2.4 million people in King, Snohomish and Skagit counties.

"This is a great day for Washington," said Jennifer Stephens, communications director for The Wilderness Society in Seattle. "The Wild Sky is a very spectacular place that is so close to Seattle and so many people, and that is the reason so many of us live here, is because of the beauty and recreational opportunity of these wonderful wild places.

"It has amazing giant trees, beautiful alpine meadows, spectacular mountains, rushing salmon streams, some of the best scenic beauty Washington has to offer."

The wilderness-area proposal was endorsed in more than 50 editorials and had the support of hundreds of public officials and business owners.

For all that, the bill to designate the wilderness area, which is within the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, had to survive more than its share of peril along the way.

Local opponents have said at least 13,000 acres of the proposed area have been heavily altered by human use, disqualifying it from being considered wilderness. And they argued the designation would keep many outdoor enthusiasts from four-wheeling or driving to camping areas.

The bill was bottled up in the House by California Republican Rep. Richard Pombo, dubbed an "eco-thug" by critics for some for his environmental sensibilities. He was voted out of office in 2006.

After finally passing the House last year, the bill got crosswise in the Senate over a debate about allowing guns in national parks. But this became the week for victory after Murray, working with colleagues across the aisle, secured the votes for passage.

Murray had pushed the bill through the Senate three times before.

Now going back to the House one more time, the measure is expected to get a quick vote on a so-called consent calendar.

Rep. Rick Larsen, D- Lake Stevens, who first introduced the bill with Murray in 2002, agreed passage in the House is expected, and soon.

The wilderness area includes a 14,000-acre swath of grand old forests, with some trees 6 to 8 feet in diameter, more than 20 stories tall, and more than three centuries old.

The North Fork of the Skykomish River, with some of the best salmon and steelhead habitat in the Puget Sound basin, tumbles through the heart of the wilderness area.

Northern spotted owls, black bears, mountain goats, cougars and a guidebook's worth of bird species all call the area home.

Tom Uniack, conservation director of the Washington Wilderness Coalition, said the bill represents one of the best conservation opportunities in Washington in two decades.

While 94 percent of the state's public wilderness areas are at elevations above 3,000 feet, Wild Sky will provide multiseason recreation close to home, Uniack said.

"Hunt, hike, fish, backpack, climb, ski — the heart and soul of Wild Sky is all those things."

Material from The Seattle Times archives is included in this story. Lynda V. Mapes: 206-464-2736 or lmapes@seattletimes.com

from: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004341605_wildsky11m0.html

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By MATTHEW DALY
Associated Press Writer

Nearly six years after it was first introduced, a bill to create a Wild Sky Wilderness east of Seattle has cleared Congress, another step toward the first new wilderness area in Washington state in nearly a quarter-century.

The House gave final approval Tuesday to a bill that would designate 167 square miles in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest north of Sultan, Wash., as federal wilderness, the government's highest level of protection.

If signed into law, Wild Sky, sponsored by Sen. Patty Murray and Rep. Rick Larsen, both D-Wash., would be the first new federally designated wilderness in Washington since 1984.

The bill also designates a site on Bainbridge Island, Wash., where hundreds of Japanese-Americans were forced from their homes on the way to prison camps during World War II, as a national historic site.

It also would designate a recreation trail in Oregon's Willamette National Forest in honor of former Rep. Jim Weaver, D-Ore.

The measure, which includes 62 proposals concerning to public lands nationwide, was approved 291 to 117.

The Wild Sky bill, first introduced in 2002, covers approximately 106,000 acres of low-elevation, old-growth forest.

A similar bill passed the House last April following a Democratic takeover of the chamber following a dozen years of Republican rule. GOP House leaders had blocked the Wild Sky bill for years, saying wilderness protection should be limited to areas untouched by humans.

Murray, who has championed the measure for nearly nine years, said it was "an example of wilderness done the right way," with support from a range of local groups and elected officials.

The proposed wilderness designation would block development and other economic activity in a sprawling area north of U.S. Highway 2 that includes habitat for bears, bald eagles and other wildlife, as well as streams, hiking trails and other recreation.

Wild Sky, named for the Skykomish River, is 90 minutes from Seattle and offers millions of people access to "rolling hills and rushing rivers and low-elevation forests," Murray said. The area now "will be preserved for generations to come," she said.

On the Net:

The bill is S. 2739. Congress: http://thomas.loc.gov

from: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004381432_apwstwildskywilderness1stldwritethru.ht ml

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By MATTHEW DALY
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

WASHINGTON -- Nearly six years after it was first introduced, a bill to create a Wild Sky Wilderness northeast of Seattle has become law.

President Bush signed a bill Thursday making Wild Sky the first new wilderness area in Washington state in nearly a quarter-century.

The House gave final approval to the bill last month. It designates 167 square miles in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest north of Sultan, Wash., as federal wilderness, the government's highest level of protection.

Wild Sky, sponsored by Sen. Patty Murray and Rep. Rick Larsen, both D-Wash., is the first new federally designated wilderness in Washington since 1984.

"Reaching the end of the trail never felt so good," said Larsen. "Today marks the summit of a long journey made possible by many committed people and years of community input. Together, we not only created a new wilderness bill, but a new model for creating wilderness in the future."

Murray said Wild Sky "has always brought diverse people together to do what's right for our environment and our future. I can't wait to lace up my tennis shoes and take those first steps into Washington's first new wilderness area in 24 years."

The bill signed Thursday also designates a site on Bainbridge Island, Wash., where hundreds of Japanese-Americans were forced from their homes on the way to internment camps during World War II as a national historic site.

It also designates a recreation trail in Oregon's Willamette National Forest in honor of former Rep. Jim Weaver, D-Ore.

Wild Sky, first introduced in 2002, covers approximately 106,000 acres of low-elevation forest on the west slope of the Cascades. The wilderness designation will block development and other economic activity in a sprawling area north of U.S. Highway 2 that includes habitat for bears, bald eagles and other wildlife, as well as streams, hiking trails and other recreation.

Murray, who has championed the measure for nearly nine years, said it was "an example of wilderness done the right way," with support from a range of local groups and elected officials.

Wild Sky, named for the Skykomish River, is 90 minutes from Seattle and offers millions of people access to rolling hills, rushing rivers and low-elevation forests, supporters say. The area now will be preserved for generations to come, they said.

Environmentalists hailed the bill-signing and praised Larsen and Murray for their work.

"We've waited a long time for this day, and oh, what a great day it is," said Jon Owen of the Campaign for America's Wilderness. "After a long struggle, Sen. Murray and Congressman Larsen have brought Wild Sky home for all of us, protected for all time. For Americans of all walks of life, of different viewpoints and different interests, Wild Sky is truly our common ground."

from: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/6420ap_wa_wild_sky_wilderness.html

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By Warren Cornwall
Seattle Times environment reporter

INDEX, Snohomish County — After years cajoling fellow lawmakers, strategizing with environmentalists and attending countless community meetings, U.S. Sen. Patty Murray stood on the bank of the Skykomish River Friday and looked into the newly created Wild Sky Wilderness.

"Rick," she declared, pointing to a forested mountain and then gleefully slapping the arm of U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen, a fellow Democrat, "we did it!"

Murray, Larsen and several dozen wilderness advocates, congressional aides and Forest Service officials, many seasoned veterans of the Wild Sky campaign, gathered near the tiny mountain town of Index Friday to celebrate the creation of Washington's first wilderness area in more than two decades.

Wild Sky boosters said their success heralds future campaigns for creating still more protected wilderness in Washington.

"We broke the logjam," said Murray, who helped lead the effort in Congress. "I think now people are saying, 'Well, this is a doable process.' "

But it wasn't easy.

Environmentalists first conceived it in 1999, hoping to protect a slice of lowland forest near Seattle, and introduce a new generation of citizens and politicians to the idea of creating wilderness areas.

In the ensuing nine years, it weathered opposition from a powerful House committee chair, threats of a Senate filibuster and hours of careful negotiation with snowmobilers, campers and other interest groups afraid they would be shut out of their favorite places. Along the way, it shrank from a proposed 126,000 acres to the final 106,000 acres of the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.

The effort made the victory celebration that much sweeter for Mike Town, founder of Friends of Wild Sky and an environmental-sciences teacher at Redmond High School.

"I can't wipe the smile off my face," Town told the crowd. "My jaw muscles are getting fatigued."

The land includes low-lying forests, some logged decades ago, some with centuries-old Douglas firs. There are high alpine ridges, sheer granite cliffs and the North Fork of the Skykomish River, where steelhead leap upstream. Town takes students to a stream flowing out of the wilderness where pink salmon still spawn so plentifully they fill the creek from bank to bank. All of it lies a few hours drive from Seattle, near Highway 2.

The wilderness designation bars virtually all mechanized activity there — no logging, motorcycles, cars or new mining claims. You can't even legally fire up a chain saw. Wild Sky advocates carefully drew the boundaries to avoid opposition from snowmobilers and the heavily used Barclay Lake.

Mark Rey, a Bush appointee who oversees the Forest Service, spoke at the event, praising the Wild Sky proponents for taking a moderate approach that built broad support for the wilderness. He also announced plans to name a trailhead leading into the wilderness after the late Jennifer Dunn, the longtime Republican congresswoman from Bellevue who supported Wild Sky, and who died last September.

Still, today the wilderness faces obstacles of a more practical sort. One of the main roads leading to it was cut off by flooding several years ago and has yet to be repaired.

That, combined with lingering snow on the ground, meant Larsen and Murray never set foot inside the wilderness Friday. But the weather cooperated, giving the revelers a clear view of craggy Gunn Peak and Merchant Peak, both now protected as wilderness.

from: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004449417_wildsky31m.html