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blaeloch: removal of wilderness protection for an area in Alaska is a very serious matter. I'm sure this information was not widely known. It was probably an amendment that got slipped in when no one was looking. I would like to suggest to you that if you want "big enviro groups' opposition" to bad ideas like this, you need to notify the environmental community and ask for help. Perhaps you read information about Alaska that the rest of us don't read. As a general policy, try to find ways to work with us

posted 3 years, 4 months ago
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The writer from Government Camp doesn't seem to understand that the land swap is necessary to get MHM off the north side of the mountain (totally). Government Camp is already urbanized; the north side of the mountain is nearly pristine. The problem with Meadows is that they have a ski permit at Cooper Spur (north side) issued from the FS that allows them to expand and tear apart the old growth and other vegetation -- more bulldozing -- disrupting the migration corridors for wildlife. Among proposed expansion projects, the FS would allow a chair lift landing with all the gadgetry and apparatus into Cloud Cap the area across the gravel road from designated wilderness. Since Government Camp is already urbanized, building condos there would seem more appropriate.

posted 3 years, 4 months ago
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It has been very difficult to get this wilderness bill passed. It seems as though its been a six-year effort. The Oregon delegation supported it, but we ran afoul of Senator Tom Coburn. Perhaps the negatives expressed on this page have at least some validity, but if we pursue perfection, we will get nothing. All of us involved in the effort testified many times at the Hood River County Commissioners over the years. We had to overcome resistance from local elected officials and business persons who thought building in the Crystal Springs watershed with an alpine shopping mall, plus 450 condos and septic tanks in a wild pristine area was a wonderful business opportunity. The north side of Mt. Hood is the least urbanized side of the mountain. There are still cougar, black bear, elk and deer herds there. The wildlife need a chance to survive. Summer hikers and wintertime backcountry skiers have marveled at the great pristine beauty of the north side. With the US population growing exponentially year after year, we have to take action to save what acreage we can in its natural state for our children and grandchildren. Opportunities like this are becoming fewer and fewer.

posted 3 years, 4 months ago
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