Wild Sky Wilderness headed for fast approval
Key opponent's ouster clears way for new wilderness area
The Wild Sky Wilderness bill - a proposal to set aside 106,000 acres of forest north of Index and Skykomish - long lingered on life support.
It's been resuscitated with the Democratic takeover of Congress.
Washington lawmakers are gearing up in January to renew an effort to preserve the land.
"The Wild Sky Wilderness is my top environmental priority going into the next session of Congress," said Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Wash. "The importance of Wild Sky is it will give people for generations a clean place to hunt and fish."
Measures to create the wilderness were approved three times in the U.S. Senate but languished in the House.
The chief opponent, Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Calif., failed to win re-election after environmental groups spent $1 million to oust him.
As chairman of a key House committee, Pombo refused to let proposals to create the wilderness area get to the floor for a vote.
Opponents of creating the first new wilderness in Washington since 1984 were disheartened by the Democratic leadership takeover.
"I figured on Tuesday we'd be hearing a lot about Wild Sky," said David Hurwitz, chairman of the Snowmobile Alliance of Western States. "I say now it's a done deal. We've stopped it for this long and now it will go straight through. The gatekeeper (Pombo) is gone."
A wilderness designation is the federal government's most restrictive land use regulation.
Motorized vehicles and bicycles are prohibited, and the designation also prevents logging, mining and the building of any new roads. Hiking, horseback riding, hunting, fishing, canoeing and similar activities are allowed.
Not only does locking up land as a wilderness prohibit snowmobiling and other mechanized transportation, but Hurwitz maintains it also leaves trees prone to disease, fire and other problems due to poor management.
Sultan City Councilman Jim Flower has this bit of advice: "If you love that area, go visit it now, because the day will come when you won't be able to visit."
Flower was on the council last year when members voted unanimously to oppose creating the wilderness.
"It's really a crime to take such a beautiful place and lock it away from the people who can enjoy it, all so Rick Larsen can have a legacy," Flower said. "The only one who was really making sense in Congress was Richard Pombo."
Continue reading this article from The Herald (Everett):
Wild Sky headed for fast approval
