“Wild Olympics” Provision Passes House Spending Plan
A provision preserving the “Wild Olympics” effort has passed the US House.
Monday, the Wild Olympic Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers Act passed as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act with bipartisan support.
The Senate is debating its own version of the NDAA and then a conference in the coming weeks will reconcile differences and create a final defense authorization package.
Sixth District Congressman Derek Kilmer says he’s hopeful the provision will remain in the final package.
Supporters say the Wild Olympics legislation would permanently preserve ancient and mature forests, salmon habitat, and sources of clean drinking water for local communities, while also protecting and expanding world-class outdoor recreation. No roads would be closed, and trailhead access would not be affected, but the wilderness designation would be extended to thousands of additional acres of lands on the Olympic Peninsula.
However, Kilmer says currently viable timber harvesting areas were removed from the proposal to ensure the legislation would have no impact on existing timber jobs.
Source: My Clallam County