Patty Murray: “this weekend the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee is going to hold a field hearing in Mattawa, WA. We will…”

“this weekend the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee is going to hold a field hearing in Mattawa, WA. We will discuss S. 200, my legislation to designate the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River as a wild and scenic river. The Hanford Reach is the last free-flowing stretch of this mighty river. Protecting it for future generations is a top priority for me. In 1995, I convened a group of local citizens, and I asked them to help me find the best way to protect this portion of the Columbia River. They unanimously concluded an act of Congress designating the reach as a wild and scenic river, with a recreational classification, would be the best way to preserve this valuable resource. In fact, a poll of registered voters in central Washington done last year indicated that 76 percent favored designation of the Hanford Reach as a wild and scenic river, while only 11 percent opposed it. So the will of the region is clear: The reach needs the best protection we can give it to make sure it remains accessible to everyone. Protecting the Hanford Reach is not about local versus Federal control. It is about giving a natural treasure the best possible protection that we can. And it is also about promoting jobs in the long term and protecting our heritage. What does the designation do? First, it puts central Washington on the map as a home to a resource found nowhere else on Earth--a river unique and important enough to become part of the U.S.…”