When last seen, the Wild Sky wilderness proposal had been left for dead on a heap of federal legislation.
That was 2004. Republican George Nethercutt needed a boost for his campaign against incumbent Democratic Sen. Patty Murray. He vowed he could pry the wilderness plan from the grips of the House Resources Committee and get it passed into law.
He couldn’t. U.S. Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Calif., the committee’s chairman and devout foe of creating wilderness areas, nixed the idea, and no one’s heard much of Wild Sky since.
This month Pombo unexpectedly allowed bills adding wilderness in Oregon, Idaho and California to emerge from his committee. Each easily passed in the House of Representatives.
Is Wild Sky next?
Supporters hope Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Wash., the Wild Sky’s champion in the House, can seize this moment to secure a compromise.
Larsen proposed protecting 106,000 acres north of Index and Skykomish while Pombo in 2004 said he only viewed 93,000 acres as worthy.
Talks are at a sensitive stage. The two congressmen have spoken. There are negotiable items on the table.
Whether a deal is doable is unknown, but it may be up to Pombo.
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Some political leaders in Snohomish County are courting University of Washington President Mark Emmert and will soon pop the big question:
Will the university wed itself to a future university in Snohomish County?
Democratic state Rep. Hans Dunshee is gathering signers for a letter to Emmert, inviting the university to link with whatever model of academic institution emerges from the work of a state-appointed task force.
He is the most outspoken of those who view a UW-Something as a pragmatic nuptial most quickly capable of bringing much-needed higher education into the region.
The letter is not drafted, nor is a date set for delivery.
Those extending a hand to Emmert don’t want to infuriate those in the community who desire a four-year independent polytechnic institute, and that includes Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon.
Reardon said the UW must address financial challenges at its branch campuses before taking on new responsibilities. Otherwise, the region could end up with U-Dub-Lite, lacking money to operate and space to serve the crush of students.
Emmert said Thursday there is a role for the university but not before questions on the type, location, cost and financing of a college are answered.
The nature of the relationship, he said, is “far from clear at this stage.”
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