The Columbian | Serving Clark County, Washington

It seems incredible that after nearly a quarter of a century, the Columbia River Gorge is still under attack by those forces hell-bent on destroying its fragile, irreplaceable beauty.

How long must this fight continue? The Gorge remains one of the most hallowed natural and cultural regions in the world, despite efforts by the ignorant or uncaring to blemish its value.

The most recent assault was HB 3132 — a proposed legislative measure introduced by state Rep. Kevin Van De Wege, a Sequim Democrat who lives on the Olympic Peninsula near another place of natural beauty in Washington, Olympic National Park. That proximity apparently played no role in Van De Wege’s legislative attempt to remove protection of the Gorge by eliminating funding of the Columbia River Gorge Commission.

An Oregon-Washington Compact was created to regulate development of the Gorge and apply the standards of the National Scenic Area Act signed Nov.17, 1986 by President Ronald Reagan. HB 3132 would repeal the Columbia River Gorge Compact.

The Gorge Commission is responsible for planning in 292,500 acres stretching for 85 miles along the Columbia River. The 12-member commission implements plans for enhancement of scenic, cultural areas, and monitors land-use decisions and appeals. Six Gorge counties and the Gorge Commission draft and enforce land-use ordinances to implement the Management Plan. Local agencies are responsible for drafting and enforcing land-use ordinances in 13 urban areas of the Gorge on both sides of the Columbia. The Forest Service handles recreation and manages national forest lands.

The Act prohibits new land divisions, most commercial facilities, new industrial use, new homes on parcels smaller than 40 acres, and most development of mineral resources. It’s difficult to comprehend the disruption, damage and overall chaos that would result from repeal of the bistate compact.

Wrong way to save money

Yet Rep. Van De Wege sees his bill as a budget-cutting measure. He said he acted on his own as a member of the House General Government Appropriations Committee. He was the only one testifying on the bill at its Feb. 4 hearing. Local legislators claimed they were not notified of the hearing. Rep. Van De Wege said Clark County House members were told of the bill, as were Gorge Commission staffers.

The Sequim Democrat said he wanted Gov. Gregoire to do some negotiating that might lead to federal funding of the Gorge commission.

It’s a form of Russian roulette: Force the Governor to put pressure on the federal government to fund the commission which would trim state funding. But if that doesn’t work, leave Gorge lands vulnerable to unrestricted land development.

“This (Van De Wege) legislation brings us back to the bad old days, which I thought were over,” said Kevin Gorman, executive director of the Friends of the Gorge, a watchdog organization for the Gorge. He said National Geographic Traveler ranked the Gorge sixth internationally for tourism in part “because it has one of the best land preservation programs in the country.”

Gorman said a Feb. 10 letter from the Skamania County Commission supports federal land acquisition in Skamania County, adding, “My hat’s off to them and their support for the Cape Horn Trail.” The commissioners’ letter pointed to the significance of the acquisition that protects landscapes and helps make Skamania County “a desired destination for tourists and recreationists.”

President Obama’s budget for fiscal 2011 includes $850,000 that could be used to purchase 300 acres in the Cape Horn area for a wildlife corridor and Cape Horn trailhead. Congress can boost the amount, and the Friends organization and Skamania commissioners are urging an increase in the federal budget to $1.5 million.

While Gorge organizations work to enhance and protect this scenic area, the effect of Van De Wege’s legislation would be to destroy it. Taking a neutral stand plays into the hands of Gorge enemies. Determining which action best serves the public is a no-brainer.

Tom Koenninger is editor emeritus of The Columbian. His column of personal opinion appears on Wednesdays. Reach him at koenninger@comcast.net.

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