A Spokane congressman Tuesday suggested a new idea to protect 106,000 acres of forestland in eastern Snohomish County, but the original proponents say his scheme would undercut plans to create the Wild Sky Wilderness.
Republican Rep. George Nethercutt on Tuesday said he wants permanent protection of the area, and it can be done this year “if we try fresh approaches and work together.”
In a published opinion piece, Nethercutt proposed taking a controversial 16,000 acres of the Wild Sky and making it a national conservation area, a designation less restrictive than a wilderness. That idea was floated when opponents of Wild Sky criticized the 16,000 acres due to previous development or logging there.
Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Wash., the prime sponsor of Wild Sky in the House, and fellow Democrat Rep. Jay Inslee issued a joint statement Tuesday condemning a “piecemeal approach” to protecting Wild Sky.
“George Nethercutt’s idea is an extreme makeover that will undercut the Wild Sky Wilderness proposal,” said Jeff Bjornstad, Larsen’s chief of staff.
Mike Spahn, spokesman for Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said Nethercutt’s idea abandons “the wishes of local leaders throughout Washington state and gives up on full protection for this beautiful land.” Murray, prime sponsor in the Senate, got her bill passed last year, but Larsen’s has been bogged down in a House committee.
Nethercutt is challenging Murray in this fall’s election.
“It’s up to Congress to say what’s allowed in conservation areas,” said Alex Conant, spokesman for Nethercutt’s campaign, adding that it could be as restrictive as a wilderness and satisfy opponents.
Meanwhile, U.S. Forest Service officials are scratching their heads about managing a national conservation area, something that another branch of government usually does.
All of the Wild Sky proposal is within the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. Forest spokesman Ron DeHart said he doesn’t know of any national conservation area within a national forest, but he’s sill researching the topic.
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