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‘Time is critical’
Congratulations and thank you to Congressmen Greg Walden and Earl
Blumenauer. Your hard and skillful work was responsible for getting
the House to pass the 77,500-acre wilderness protection Mt. Hood
Stewardship Legacy Act. The bill resolves many long-standing issues,
like Cooper Spur, and protects Crystal Springs drinking water.
Now it’s the Senate’s turn. Please contact Senators Ron Wyden and
Gordon Smith asking them to craft companion legislation. However, the
Senate version needs to include these important old growth and
roadless areas worthy of protection: Boulder Lake, Bonney Butte, Lost
Lake Butte, and Tamanawas Falls.
Time is critical. The Senate must pass a bill and then the House and
Senate must agree on reconciliation legislation — all before
adjournment at the end of September. So hurry, please urge our
senators to introduce Mt. Hood Wilderness legislation. Thank you.
Jurgen A. Hess
Hood River
Act on the Act
The House passage of the Mt. Hood Legacy Act (HR 5025) is indeed
good news. Way to go, Congressmen Walden and Blumenauer, for
drafting and guiding this legislation through all the hoops. It
was a great bipartisan effort.
However, time is short for Senators Wyden and Smith to introduce a
companion wilderness bill for the Mt. Hood National Forest. “They
need to get moving,” as The Oregonian editors urged in last
Sunday’s paper.
I believe our senators should agree to expand protection to other
important areas that were excluded in HR 5025, such as Tamanawas
Falls, Boulder Lake, Barlow Butte, Twin Lakes and Lost Lake Butte.
More information about these places can be found at
www.oregonwild.org/mthood/.
Please write and give them your thoughts on the importance of a
Mt. Hood Wilderness Act this year. It’s now or possibly never.
Don’t let all the good work by Congressmen Walden and Blumenauer
go down the tube. Here’s contact info:
Sen. Gordon Smith, One World Trade Center, Ste. 1250, 121 S.W.
Salmon St., Portland, OR 97204; (503) 326-3386.
Sen. Ron Wyden, 1220 S.W. Third Ave., Ste. 585, Portland, OR
97204, (503) 326-7525.
Darryl Lloyd
Hood River
Help clean Parkdale
Four partnerships will be working together in a prep-work, action
day on Aug. 10.
The Parkdale Community Church and Mt. Hood Parkdale Community
Improvement Association, with the help of the Hood River County
Faith Connection and adult county work crew, will do painting,
planting and visionary request of the Baseline Road businesses. A
separate volunteer work party will do small chores at the church.
This will be the kickoff for other planned enhancements of the
church and grounds, in preparation of its 100th anniversary. It
will be a work in progress with an anticipated completion date of
May 2011.
Volunteers of all ages are needed and those interested are asked
to meet at the church Aug. 10 at 9 a.m. to do what they can, and
bring a sack lunch. Cold drinks, fruit and dessert will be
provided free of charge.
Everyone (that means you) is invited to come: to give support,
lend a hand, say hello and/or see the action.
Sigrid Scully
Parkdale
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