Friends of the Columbia Gorge Protecting the Gorge Since 1980 Winter 2007 Newsletter Inside: Political Shifts Favor Gorge Page 4 Casino Update Page 8 Special Insert Spring Hiking Brochure Friends of the Columbia Gorge Take Action Today! BOARD OF DIRECTORS Angie Moore CHAIR he environmental review Please contact Associate Deputy Nancy Russell CHAIR EMERITA currently underway for the Secretary of Interior James Cason and ask VICE CHAIR Ken Denis proposed Gorge casino at Cascade him to withdraw the current scoping report Dick Springer SECRETARY TLocks is inadequate and fails to comply for the Gorge casino proposal. Basing the Karen Johnson TREASURER Rick Ray* AT-LARGE MEMBER with federal legal requirements. Read review on this flawed report will result in an Chris Beck details in our Conservation article on illegal Environmental Impact Statement. Broughton H. Bishop Bowen Blair, Jr. pages 8-9 of this newsletter. Urge the Bureau of Indian Affairs to Ed Caswell carry out a transparent environmental Susan Crowley* analysis that rigorously examines a full Christine Knowles* range of reasonable alternatives to siting the Janice Newton Aubrey Russell Warm Springs’ proposed mega-casino in the Pat Wall Columbia Gorge. Those alternatives should Roger Wendlick include locations outside the Columbia Cynthia Winter* Gorge as well as sites on the Warm Springs reservation. FRIENDS OF THE COLUMBIA GORGE LAND TRUST Tell the Interior Department that, at minimum, an irreplaceable national treasure BOARD OF TRUSTEES like the Columbia Gorge deserves a rigorous, Aubrey Russell CHAIR Christine Knowles* SECRETARY/TREASURER thorough, and fair environmental analysis. Jurgen Hess* Dustin Klinger Send comments today to: Nancy Russell Bowen Blair, Jr. (non-voting trustee) James Cason, Associate Deputy Secretary Jim Desmond (non-voting trustee) of the Interior 1849 C Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20240 STAFF Fax: (202) 208-1837 Teckla Anderson DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANT [email protected] Nathan Baker STAFF ATTORNEY Kelley Beamer CONSERVATION ORGANIZER Proposed casino site sits below forests currently Justin Carroll EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT being considered for wilderness protection. Peter Cornelison* FIELD REPRESENTATIVE Photo: Kevin Gorman Kevin Gorman EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Jane Harris DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Michael Lang CONSERVATION DIRECTOR Kate McBride* LAND TRUST MANAGER Active citizen support for Gorge protection is crucial to our success. Contact Rick Till LAND USE LAW CLERK * Gorge residents your Senators and Representatives using the information below, or check www.senate.gov or www.house.gov for other offices. ADDITIONAL SUPPORT Legal Counsel: Gary Kahn Oregon Washington Newsletter Design: Kathy Fors and Sen. Gordon Smith, (202) 224-3753 Sen. Patty Murray, (202) 224-2621 Kathleen Krushas (To the Point Publications) http://gsmith.senate.gov/public/ http://murray.senate.gov/email/index.cfm Editor: Betsy Toll Sen. Ron Wyden, (202) 224-5244 Sen. Maria Cantwell, (202) 224-3441 PORTLAND OFFICE http://wyden.senate.gov/contact/ http://cantwell.senate.gov/contact/ 522 SW Fifth Avenue, #720 Rep. David Wu, (202) 225-0855 Rep. Brian Baird, (202) 225-3536 Portland, Oregon 97204 Rep. Earl Blumenauer, (202) 225-4811 Rep. Doc Hastings, (202) 225-5816 (503) 241-3762 Rep. Darlene Hooley, (202) 225-5711 Rep. Norm Dicks, (202) 225-5916 Rep. Greg Walden, (202) 225-6730 GORGE OFFICE You can email your Congressional Representative 205 Oak Street, #17 Rep. Peter DeFazio, (202) 225-6416 by logging on to www.house.gov/writerep/ Hood River, Oregon 97031 (541) 386-5268 www.gorgefriends.org On the cover: Wildflowers carpeting the Rowena Plateau welcome visitors in spring. Photo: Greg Lief, LiefPhotos.com Correction: The cover photo on our November 2006 newsletter was printed in reverse. That beautiful sunset 2 photo by James Holloway was shot in Oregon, above I-84 looking west. I contacted State Parks and asked Director’s Letter if they would consider buying Nancy’s parcel if they could get it below market ive years ago, the Klickitat Trail Fortunately, Nancy has never allowed value. They said they would, so I called was the Gorge’s controversial issue “half-empty” details to bother her. She Nancy and apprised her of the situation. du jour. Many local citizens were removed the structures and cleaned Without hesitation, she offered the Fpressing to open the trail, some adjacent up the property to make it an informal property to State Parks for approximately land owners and local politicians wanted trailhead, and the newly-formed Klickitat half the $137,000 price she had paid it closed completely, and Washington State Trail Conservancy contributed a port-a- four years earlier. With appreciation, Parks and the U.S. Forest Service tried to pottie for public use. demolition costs, and property taxes, avoid saying or doing anything that would escalate the situation. That once-potential powder keg will now serve as the It was at this moment that the fuse on a potential powder keg was lit. Nancy crowning entrance to the beautiful Klickitat Trail. Russell called me one morning to tell me that she had bought a small property at Fast forward to 2006. With tensions Nancy’s offer meant she would lose more the terminus of the Klickitat Trail in Lyle. abated and State Parks and Forest Service than $100,000 on the deal. It would be the ideal trail gateway. But managing the trail, more than $240,000 Last December, Washington State it was in the Urban Area of Lyle, where was available to create an official Lyle Parks secured ownership of the property the County had forbidden the creation of trailhead. But no one had approached and today the Forest Service is including parks. It had three dilapidated structures Nancy about her parcel. Due to budget Nancy’s parcel in its planning for the and the County did not look kindly on restrictions, the public agencies intended trailhead. That once-potential powder keg removing development for recreation. to put all parking and amenities in a will now serve as the crowning entrance Given all the controversy, there seemed small right of way, even though Nancy’s to the beautiful Klickitat Trail. little hope that the agencies would manage property had ample grassy areas for the trail, let alone buy the property. picnicking and viewing the Klickitat River. Kevin Gorman Executive Director Kevin Gorman Photo: Friends of the Columbia Gorge works to ensure that the beautiful and wild Columbia Gorge remains a place apart, an unspoiled treasure for generations to come. Hike leaders Bev Linde (left) and Barbara Robinson (center) admire the Klickitat River view with Nancy Russell on her Lyle trailhead property. 3 Political Winds Blow in Gorge’s Direction Changing political climate may help Gorge protection Kevin Gorman, Executive Director, [email protected] rotecting the Columbia Gorge has The November 2006 elections Reconnecting the Historic always been a bi-partisan effort. In provided a seismic shift in political Columbia River Highway 1986, four Republican Senators, power in Congress and the Columbia The 20-year transformation Pnumerous Democratic Congressmen, and a Gorge stands to benefit from that effort of the Historic Columbia River Republican President ensured passage of the shift. The Democratic takeover of the Highway from Troutdale to The Dalles Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area Senate and House have given Oregon would not have occurred without Act. For the past three years, one of those and Washington more power in key significant federal funding. Roadway former Republican Senators, Washington’s committees that fund land acquisition and improvements in the waterfall stretch Slade Gorton, has worked as Friends’ lobbyist transportation projects, and determine between Corbett and Hood River, in Washington D.C. and has been crucial to matters such as wilderness areas. Here the Hood River to Mosier State Trail, encouraging the Bush Administration and are some of the ways in which Gorge and the reopening of the Mosier the former Republican-controlled Senate to protection issues will be affected by the Twin Tunnels all were supported by support Gorge land acquisition. Congressional shift: Congress. Restoration of the Historic Columbia River Highway will include a rebuilt tunnel at Mitchell Point. Photo: Courtesy Oregon Department of Transportation 4 Scenic Oneonta Falls lies within the proposed Gorge Ridgeline addition to the Mark Hatfield Wilderness Area. Photo: Greg Lief, LiefPhotos.com The Historic Columbia River Highway restoration work that remains is both challenging and exciting, including creating a new Mitchell Tunnel. The eventual goal is full reconnection of the Historic Highway, Wilderness advocates limiting all restored sections to non- motorized uses. anticipate a much The recent elevation of Oregon Rep. more favorable Peter DeFazio (D) to chair the Highways, Transit, and Pipelines Subcommittee gives environment for hope that these final restoration projects on the Historic Columbia River Highway protecting America’s will move forward. Washington Rep. Brian Baird (D) also sits on the Transportation last remaining Committee, giving further support to wildlands in the these goals. 110th Congress. Federal Land Acquisition in the Columbia Gorge Two members of the Washington delegation now sit in the majority on the is gone. Pombo, who controlled the An Off-Reservation Casino in the powerful Senate and House Appropriations Wilderness agenda and thwarted most Columbia Gorge Committees, which determine funding for Wilderness proposals, has been replaced