New law will protect wild-and-scenic rivers in southern Oregon

ASHLAND, Ore. — Big changes are coming to the Rogue and Chetco Rivers after a bipartisan legislation passed in Washington, D.C..

The bill, which was signed by the president Tuesday, is being praised by Oregon’s federal legislators on both sides of the aisle. It ensures the protection of wild-and-scenic rivers, many in southern Oregon.

According to Oregon Senator Ron Wyden, it’s the largest public lands package passed by Congress in a decade.

The law takes wild-and-scenic rivers used for water sources, recreation and fish habitats, and protects them from pollution, waste, mining and other things.

The Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center’s Executive Director, Joseph Vaile, said the bipartisan effort shows there’s a lot of support for Oregon’s wilderness.

“We’re only going to see more and more use in our rivers,” Vaile said, “and so it’s great to see that they will stay the way they are and be protected for years to come.”

An additional 40 miles of Rogue River tributaries will be protected from mining and future dam installations, and it permanently protects the Chetco River from mining and mineral extraction, ensuring clean water.

It also creates the “Devil’s Staircase Wilderness,” by designating roughly 30,000 acres of remote lands in the Oregon Coastal Range.

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