Thank Our Senators For Working to Protect Oregon Rivers
Join us in celebrating the re-introduction of the River Democracy Act and thanking Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley for their efforts to protect Oregon’s rivers!
The River Democracy Act is a historic opportunity to protect many of Oregon’s most treasured rivers. This proposed legislation would safeguard over 3,200 miles of waterways, from the big landscapes of northeastern Oregon to the rugged Coast Range.
The bill was introduced by Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and was crafted with input from hundreds of activists and river enthusiasts advocating for their backyard rivers, drinking watersheds, fishing holes, kayak routes, and love of the wildlands and rivers of Oregon.
Wild & Scenic River designations are the strongest form of protection for ecologically and culturally important streams, offering many important safeguards that will keep Oregon rivers healthy and free-flowing. Destructive activities like mining and dam building are prohibited in and along Wild & Scenic Rivers, and other projects like logging and road-building that negatively impact the landscape are tightly regulated so the rivers and their values are not degraded. The River Democracy Act would extend these protections a half-mile from each river bank, offering enhanced safeguards for critical waterways in Oregon.
Join us in thanking Senators Wyden and Merkley for their efforts to protect Oregon rivers with the River Democracy Act, and urge them to get this bill passed!