Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Wilderness
Senators Commemorate 50 Years of Protecting America’s Wilderness Lands
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D- Ore., and Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., today commemorated 50 years of bipartisan efforts to preserve public lands through the Wilderness Act by introducing a Senate resolution that celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the Act's passage and its continued importance in protecting millions of acres across America. First passed by Congress in 1964 with overwhelming popularity - by a vote of 73 to 12 in the Senate and 373 to 1 in the House of Representatives … Continue Reading
March 22, 2012
***Webcast Available*** Wyden to Chair Hearing on Bill to Preserve Rogue River as Wild and Scenic Waterway
Washington, D.C. - Continuing work to preserve Oregon's natural beauty for future generations, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) will chair a hearing of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee's subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests discussing Wyden's legislation to preserve 60,000 acres and 93 miles of the Rogue river as wild and scenic; an additional 50 miles of tributaries would be withdrawn from mining. Introduced by Wyden and U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) in December, the … Continue Reading
January 26, 2012
Wyden Statement on USDA Announcement of a New Forest Planning Rule
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) issued the following statement in response to the Forest Service's announcement that the Department of Agriculture will issue a new planning rule to govern how the Forest Service develops its forest plans: "I am pleased that the Forest Service is moving forward with the long-awaited planning rule that will provide much-needed certainty to get new forest plans in place. I am particularly happy to see the strong emphasis on collaboration and … Continue Reading
December 15, 2011
Wyden and Merkley Introduce Bill to Protect 60K acres around Rogue River
Washington, D.C. - Continuing their efforts to preserve and protect Oregon's most wild and environmentally important areas, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) have introduced legislation that will add 60,000 acres of new wilderness to the existing Wild Rogue Wilderness area and protect an additional 143 miles of tributaries that feed into the iconic Rogue River. Representative DeFazio (D-Ore.) has introduced similar legislation in the House of Representatives. … Continue Reading
November 10, 2011
Wyden/Merkley Devil’s Staircase and Oregon Caves Bills Passed by Energy and Natural Resources Committee
Washington, D.C. - Efforts to preserve some of Oregon's most pristine and valued natural resources moved closer to success today as two bills protecting Oregon's Devil's Staircase and Oregon Caves cleared the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Sponsored by Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) the passage of these two bills by the committee clears the way for their consideration by the full Senate. "Devil's Staircase is rugged, wild, pristine and remote and Oregon … Continue Reading
May 18, 2011
Wyden to Chair Hearing on Eastside Forest Legislation; Four Other Oregon Public Lands Bills
Washington, D.C. - Today, Wednesday May 18, 2011 at 2:30 p.m. EDT (11:30 a.m. PDT) U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) will chair a hearing of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources committee's Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests to discuss twenty public lands bills including five Oregon bills, among them the Eastside Forest Restoration and Old Growth Protection Act - the landmark agreement between environmental groups and the timber industry in eastern Oregon. Click here to stream the … Continue Reading
March 17, 2011
More than 17,000 Acres of Wilderness to Be Preserved by Wyden, Merkley Land Swap Bill
Washington, D.C. - In an effort to preserve more than 17,000 acres of Oregon land as Wilderness, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) have reintroduced the Cathedral Rock and Horse Heaven Wilderness Act of 2011 that will swap public land with private landholders, in order to create two new wilderness sites. One of the landholders, Young Life, a Christian-based summer camp owns land once occupied by the followers of Baghwan Shree Rajneesh. "This bill will preserve … Continue Reading
February 03, 2011
Wyden, Merkley Reintroduce Bills to Transfer Federal Property to La Pine and Wallowa
Washington, D.C. - Continuing to look for ways to help two of Oregon's hardest hit areas grow their economies, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) reintroduced two bills today that will allow La Pine and Wallowa to have access to hundreds of acres of federal land for community attractions, preserve their history and improve their infrastructure. "These bills give the communities the tools they need for economic growth," Wyden said. "Where tourism is a money-maker, … Continue Reading
January 28, 2010
Wyden, Merkley Land Swap Bill Will Preserve More Than 16,000 Acres as Wilderness
Washington, D.C. - Building on last year's successful efforts to preserve more than 200,000 acres of Oregon lands as wilderness, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) have introduced legislation to preserve another 16,000 acres near Cathedral Rock and Horse Heaven by swapping land with private landholders, including Christian-based summer camp, Young Life, which has rights to land once occupied by the followers of Baghwan Shree Rajneesh. "Oregonians have a deep connection … Continue Reading
March 30, 2009
President Signs Public Lands Bill into Law
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden issued the following statement today after witnessing President Obama sign the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act of 2009 (H.R. 146) into law. The legislation contains seven Wyden-authored provisions designating more than 200,000 Oregon acres as Wilderness. Wyden joined President Obama in the East Room of the White House today for the signing ceremony."With a stroke of the pen today, President Obama cemented Oregon's Wilderness legacy for generations … Continue Reading
March 25, 2009
Public Lands Bill Achieves Final Passage
Washington, D.C. - Seven public lands bills authored by U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) achieved final passage in the House of Representatives as part of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 (H.R. 146): "The Lewis and Clark Mount Hood Wilderness Act of 2007," "The Copper Salmon Wilderness Act," "The Oregon Badlands Wilderness Act of 2008," "The Cascade Siskiyou National Monument Voluntary and Equitable Grazing Conflict Resolution Act," … Continue Reading
March 19, 2009
Senate Passes Public Lands Bill For Second Time
Washington, D.C. - Seven public lands bills authored by U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) passed the Senate again today by a vote of 77 to 20, as part of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 (H.R. 146): "The Lewis and Clark Mount Hood Wilderness Act of 2007," "The Copper Salmon Wilderness Act," "The Oregon Badlands Wilderness Act of 2008," "The Cascade Siskiyou National Monument Voluntary and Equitable Grazing Conflict Resolution Act," "The … Continue Reading
January 30, 2008
Senate Committee Passes Copper Salmon Wilderness Act
Washington, D.C. - The U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee today passed S. 2034, the Copper Salmon Wilderness Act. In advance of the committee's vote, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), who introduced S. 2034 in the Senate, submitted the below statement for the hearing record: Statement of Senator Ron Wyden ENR Business Meeting January 30, 2008 On S. 2034, the Copper Salmon Wilderness ActI am pleased that today we will be voting to move out of the Committee legislation that will … Continue Reading
January 08, 2008
Wyden Says Pacific Northwest Forests in Trouble, Thinning Will Help Increase Forest Health, Reduce Fires, Increase Jobs
Medford, Or -- Thinning the Pacific Northwest's troubled federal forests will increase forest health, decrease the chances of catastrophic forest fires and create more timber industry jobs for Oregonians, Senator Ron Wyden said today. "Thinning creates a healthier forest, a healthier economy and a healthier environment," Wyden said during opening remarks at a roundtable discussion on how to improve federal forests in the Pacific Northwest. "Trees going up in smoke do nothing for the quality of … Continue Reading
September 10, 2007
Wyden, DeFazio Introduce Legislation to Protect Copper Salmon as Wilderness
Washington, DC - Working for the permanent preservation of the 13,700 acres that encompass the headwaters of the Elk River in Southern Oregon, today U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and U.S. Representative Peter DeFazio (D-OR) introduced the Copper Salmon Wilderness Act. Today's introduction is the culmination of more than a decade of cooperative efforts by local government, grassroots activists, community leaders, hunters and fishers, who have all advocated for the protection of Copper Salmon … Continue Reading
April 04, 2007
Wyden, Smith Introduce "Mount Hood Wilderness Act of 2007"
Washington, D.C. - Working for the permanent preservation of an additional 128,600 acres surrounding Mount Hood and the Columbia River Gorge, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Gordon Smith today introduced the "Lewis and Clark Mount Hood Wilderness Act of 2007." The legislation builds on previous efforts to establish a Mount Hood wilderness area, incorporating comments from over 100 community groups and local governments, members of the Oregon Congressional delegation, the governor and the Bush … Continue Reading
December 06, 2006
Wyden, Smith Introduce Mount Hood and Columbia River Gorge Wilderness Bill
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Gordon Smith today will introduce legislation to permanently protect more than 128,000 acres of wilderness on Mount Hood and in the Columbia River Gorge - an increase of almost 70 percent over existing wilderness protections.The Senators' bill also would grant Wild and Scenic River protections to more than 80 additional miles of rivers in Oregon. It would create more than 18,000 acres of Mount Hood National Recreation Areas, improving access for … Continue Reading
