Mt. Hood Wilderness Bill PASSES!

After many years of work by conservationists around the state and the country, the Public Lands Omnibus Bill has passed!

The bill contains numerous public lands provisions for Oregon, including the Lewis and Clark Mount Hood Wilderness Act, which would protect almost 127,000 acres around Mount Hood and add almost 80 miles on nine free-flowing stretches of rivers to the National Wild and Scenic River System.

Less than two weeks ago this bill was put before the House after passing through the Senate in January. It was presented as a non-amendment bill that required a two-thirds vote, in order to avoid allowing for an amendment that would allow guns in national parks. It failed by two votes and was sent back to the Senate, where it passed and was once again returned to the House. Today the bill passed 285 to 140. It will now go to President Obama’s desk for signature.

Many thanks to the tireless efforts of our friends at Oregon Wild for continuing to push this important piece of legislation.

You can read more on this at Oregon Wild’s website, http://www.oregonwild.org.

Or read the Oregonian story at http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/03/wilderness_bill_expands_protec.html.