Wild Olympics Wilderness & Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 2015 (S. 1510; H.R. 2665)
View text for the House (H.R.2665) and Senate (S.1510) Bills.
BENEFITS
- Protects and expands world-class outdoor recreation opportunities like hiking, camping, boating, hunting and fishing.
- Permanently protects the Olympic Peninsula’s ancient forests, free-flowing rivers and stunning scenery.
- Protects sources of clean drinking water for local communities.
- Protects critical salmon and steelhead habitat.
- Protects rivers and streams vital to the shellfish industry and the health and restoration of Puget Sound.
- Creates new economic opportunities while protecting existing timber jobs.Protects the Olympic Peninsula’s ancient forests, free-flowing rivers and stunning scenery for future generations
WHAT IT DOES
- Creates 126,661 acres of new Wilderness in Olympic National Forest.
- Creates 19 new Wild and Scenic Rivers plus their tributaries on Olympic National Forest, Olympic National Park and WA Department of Natural Resources (DNR) land.
- Creates potential for additional 5,346 acres to become Wilderness (Potential Wilderness) if Forest Service completes restoration under current management plans.
- Essentially makes current Forest Service safeguards for these sensitive public lands permanent.
- Protects and grows existing recreational access on the Olympic National Forest.
- Excludes all existing Forest Service system roads.
ECONOMIC IMPACTS
- The final revisions ensure no impact to timber jobs.
- Protects rivers and streams vital to the future of Washington’s shellfish industry. Washington State shellfish growers support jobs for hundreds of area residents and provide an estimated $270 million economic impact statewide.
- Proposal carefully designed to protect and grow local and state outdoor recreation industry.
- Wild and Scenic River Designation typically protects and enhances recreational use on the river, boosting local outdoor recreation economy.
- Safeguards sources of clean drinking water for area residents and protects taxpayer investments in habitat restoration.
- Helps attract new residents, entrepreneurs and investment that create local jobs and grow the local economy.
Supplemental Info for Interpreting Proposal Map
- FAQ about the legislative proposals
- Profiles of forest and river watersheds depicted on the maps
- Submit comments on proposal map
- Sign a petition in support of Wild Olympics