(Washington,
D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) provided testimony for a Senate
Subcommittee hearing supporting her Alpine Lakes Wilderness Additions and Pratt
and Middle Fork Snoqualmie Rivers Protection Act. The legislation passed out of
Committee last Congress, but did not pass the full Senate. This Hearing is
the first step towards advancing this important public lands bill. During the
hearing, the U.S. Forest Service expressed their support for the legislation.
“Protecting
our nation’s special places is absolutely critical,” said Senator Murray. “This
expansion, and the designation of the Pratt and Middle Fork Snoqualmie rivers
as wild and scenic will ensure that this treasured landscape will be protected
for future generations to enjoy. I look forward to working to move this
legislation through the Senate.”
In her
statement, Senator Murray described the environmental, economic, and
recreational benefits of this legislation.
Below
is Senator Murray’s full statement submitted for the record:
“Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to thank you for including the Alpine
Lakes Wilderness Additions and Pratt and Middle Fork Snoqualmie Rivers
Protection Act as part of your hearing today.
“The existing 394,000 acre Alpine Lakes Wilderness is a treasure both in
Washington state and across the country. As one of the most visited
wilderness areas in the country, Alpine Lakes Wilderness gives millions of
people the opportunity to enjoy our public lands just a short drive from
Seattle.
“Today we are here to discuss the opportunity to permanently protect
additional lands near the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, and to designate two rivers
of great importance to the surrounding ecosystem as Wild and Scenic. The
Alpine Lakes Wilderness Additions and Pratt and Middle Fork Snoqualmie Rivers
Protection Act will protect wildlife, promote clean water, enhance and protect
recreational opportunities, reflect the diverse landscapes of the Puget Sound
region, and contribute to the local economy.
“This has been a team effort and I want to thank Senator Cantwell for
being here. I appreciate her co-sponsorship of this bill as well as her
assistance.
“I also want to acknowledge my colleague and partner on this bill,
Congressman Dave Reichert. Throughout this process, Dave has reached out
to the local communities and stakeholders to understand their priorities.
“The bill before you today is the result of discussion and negotiation
with the local community and interested stakeholders regarding issues such as
mountain bike use, search and rescue operations, ski operations, and road and
trailhead access.
“My colleagues and I have worked hard to address constructive issues and
concerns that have been brought to us. I am grateful to everyone who
reached out to us and worked with us, and I think you’ll see that because we
worked hard to address those concerns, this bill has garnered broad
support.
“Mr. Chairman, I’d like to mention just a few of the benefits the Alpine
Lakes Wilderness Additions and Pratt and Middle Fork Snoqualmie Rivers
Protection Act will offer.
“First, this wilderness area will protect wildlife and promote clean
water by preserving the landscapes that host many native plants and animals.
The wilderness is home to abundant elk and deer populations as well as other
animals and native fish populations.
“Second, this wilderness designation, along with the Wild and Scenic
River designations will enhance and protect recreational opportunities for our
growing region. More people and more families are turning to outdoor recreation
on our public lands. This bill protects the area for users today and into the
future, and will preserve existing road and trailhead access.
“That leads me to the third benefit of this bill: Wilderness and Wild and
Scenic River designations will contribute to the local economy. Even during the
tough economy of the last several years, outdoor industry retail sales have
stayed strong. That means more people are going out more often into our
wildlands and the gateway communities that serve them. The existing Alpine
Lakes Wilderness is already a destination and these additional protections will
add to the allure of this special place.
“Another driving purpose behind the bill is the inclusion of low
elevation lands. The proposed additions we are discussing today provide
an opportunity to protect rare low elevation old growth and mature
forests. These low elevation lands were largely excluded from the Alpine
Lakes Wilderness in 1976, and about half of the lands included in this proposal
are below 3,000 feet in elevation.
“I appreciate that Associate Chief Mary Wagner from the Forest Service is
here today to testify. I understand that the Forest Service will provide
some suggestions on the legislation, and I look forward to working with them.
“Mr. Chairman, the mountain valleys of the Alpine Lakes area are a
special place to many in Washington state. And the legislation will
ensure that we protect these special places for today’s users and future
generations. I appreciate your time today and I look forward to working with
you and the Committee to move forward on this legislation.”
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