FEDERATION OF WESTERN OUTDOOR CLUBS

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SUPPORT COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE LAND ACQUISITION

The best way to protect lands in the Columbia River Gorge Scenic Area of Oregon and Washington is to acquire them from willing sellers.  Federal legislation that passed in 2000 gives the Forest Service a three-year window from the date private land is offered for sale to purchase such land from willing sellers.  If the Forest Service does not make a purchase offer within three years of the land being offered for sale, the land will be rezoned to a less restrictive management class that allows more development, logging and mining.

Since the 2000 legislation passed, 187 private sellers have offered over 6,700 acres to the Forest Service for purchase.  In the last two years the Forest Service has acquired more than 1,600 acres of land, but many of the lands offered for sale are approaching their three-year deadline.  Several landowners have signed one-year extensions.  The Forest Service needs Congress to appropriate $10 million dollars in FY 2005 to acquire these lands that have been offered for sale and to protect them for future generations.

The Federation of Western Outdoor Clubs strongly encourages Congress to appropriate $10 million dollars in FY 2005 to fund acquisition of private lands in the Columbia River Gorge Scenic Area.

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