Senators Wyden and Merkley Introduce Legislation to Protect Beloved Oregon Rivers
Bill would protect 4,700 miles of Oregonian-nominated rivers across the state, including key rivers in Southwest Oregon
GRANTS PASS, OR (February 3, 2021) - A local coalition of clean water advocates, local elected officials, hunters and anglers, small business leaders, veterans, and other community members are thanking Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today for introducing the River Democracy Act of 2021, which will designate rivers and waterways across the state as part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.
The legislation is a direct result of a nomination process where Oregonians recommended their favorite rivers for permanent protection. Senator Wyden’s office received over 15,000 nominations for thousands of miles of rivers from residents across the state, showing both the key role these rivers play in our communities and the strong local support for protecting them for the benefit of future generations.
Currently, only two percent (2,173 miles) of the state’s 110,000 miles of rivers are protected as Wild and Scenic. The River Democracy Act of 2021 is a testament to Oregonians’ commitment to conservation, healthy living, and outdoor recreation. A recent poll found that 87% of likely voters in Oregon supported the expansion of the number designated wild and scenic rivers, including 75 percent of Republican voters. Additionally, 80 percent said that they would “like to see their representatives in Congress take action to support relevant legislation that strengthens the defense of your state’s rivers and land areas from potentially harmful industrialization and pollution.”
Southwest Oregon is home to some of the most unique rivers in the state. Anchored by the Rogue, one of the first rivers ever designated as Wild and Scenic, this region also includes gems such as the Umpqua, Illinois, and Chetco. These outstanding rivers and their tributaries support fine runs of Coho and Chinook salmon, steelhead, cutthroat trout, and lamprey, and flow through
a biologically diverse landscape hosting botanical hotspots with unique wetlands and rare plants that are found nowhere else on Earth. Flowing to the Pacific, the wild rivers of southwestern Oregon give the region its identity as the “Wild Rivers Coast” and offer outstanding recreation opportunities, ranging from family-friendly fishing, swimming, and camping to adventuring in some of the most remote and untamed creeks in the Lower 48 states. New stream designations will help to protect these cherished values.
“We are blessed to have these Rivers here in Oregon and all that they do for us,” said WWII Veteran and founder of Steamboat Inn, Frank Moore and his wife Jeanne. “Let us not take them for granted. We are also blessed to have Senator Ron Wyden with his wisdom to stand up
for our rivers. I support his effort to add rivers to be included as Wild and Scenic Rivers in Oregon. The river is part of me and I am part of the river.''
The River Democracy Act of 2021 comes at a critical time during the COVID-19 pandemic as Oregonians have turned to public lands and rivers for their physical, emotional, and mental health. The Senators’ legislation is a recognition of the restorative value of nature, especially during an unprecedented health crisis. In addition, millions of Oregon residents rely on Oregon’s rivers and streams for clean drinking water for their families, farms, and businesses. This includes residents in the Rogue Valley as well as in Brookings Harbor, who rely on the exceptionally clear and clean Chetco for their drinking water.
The bill is also a recognition of the role that outdoor recreation, tourism, and other businesses supported by rivers play in getting rural economies back on their feet. Wild and Scenic River designations will protect these waters, while allowing traditional activities like hunting and fishing to continue. Outdoor recreation in the state supports 224,000 jobs, generates $15.6 billion in consumer spending, and contributes $13 billion to the GDP.
“South Coast Tours and its guides support the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act and all the conservation minded visitors that those designations bring to the south coast of Oregon. We value our wild rivers so much that we call the southern Oregon coast ‘The Wild Rivers Coast’ where there are more Wild and Scenic Rivers concentrated than anywhere else in the lower 48. Thank you Senator Wyden - we support further designations and rely on those wild river experiences to make us competitive in the tourism industry,” said Dave Lacey, owner of South Coast Tours in Gold Beach.
Protecting key tributaries to rivers like the Rogue, Illinois, Chetco, and Smith in Southwestern Oregon is a commitment to future generations who will be able to paddle, hike, fish, boat, and see the same wild rivers current residents enjoy. Oregonians thank Senator Wyden for his leadership and urge Congress to move this bill forward.