Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA)

Statement on Passage of Wild Sky Wilderness Act

April 30, 2008

"This is a great day for all of us who treasure the magnificent natural resources we dearly love and want to protect in the Pacific Northwest.  The Wild Sky Wilderness Act, which I co-sponsored, passed overwhelmingly in the House of Representatives last night; it was contained within S.2739 - Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008 - that the Senate already approved. The legislation is on its way to the President to be signed into law.

"The legislation designates 106,577 acres in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, northeast of Seattle as a wilderness area.  It is the first new wilderness designation in 20 years and I'm very proud to have been part of protecting this land for future generations.

"Of course this is landmark environmental protection legislation, but I also believe it is landmark planetary stewardship legislation.  As a nation, we know the extraordinary issues surrounding global warming ultimately relate to how we protect the precious and threatened planet we inhabit.  The Wild Sky Wilderness Act is a step in the right direction."